Strategy Instruction during Word Study and Interactive Writing Activities

Reference: 
William, C., & Lundstrom, R. P. (2007). Strategy Instruction during Word Study and Interactive Writing Activities. The Reading Teacher, 61(3), 204-12.  

Annotated Bibliography 
I.     Research questions: 
1.      Which spelling strategies were taught during the daily word study lessons?

2.      How did the teacher researcher scaffold the children’s use of those strategies during interactive writing events?

3.      Which spelling strategies did the children use to spell unfamiliar words while writing in their journals in the regular first-grade classroom?

II.     Summary 

We cannot deny that it is necessary to teach students how to read and write strategically and independently.  In addition, our students need guided practice and explicit instruction from teachers so as to be successful learners.  The purpose of this research paper was trying to investigate the efficacy of interactive writing as a context for guided practice in the use of specific spelling strategies that had been taught during daily word study lessons.   

The study was focused on the primary-grade literacy instruction with six first graders who were struggling with learning to read and write.  Ruth, the teacher researcher, conducted the research with a university researcher collaboratively by using qualitative data collection and analysis procedures.  Ruth met with the children every day for 30 minutes.  On Monday, she taught word study.  On Tuesday through Friday, she had word study at the beginning 10 minutes of each class and devoted the remaining 20 minutes on guided reading instruction.  Besides, Ruth had an interactive writing lesson for 30-minute time slot with these at-risk learners twice a week.  In this project, the teacher researcher and students used those strategies during independent writing events.

Findings of the project indicated that the teacher researcher taught a number of fundamental word solving strategies during word study instruction, which were categorized as Tools of the Trade and Tools of the Mind.  

    Tools of Trade included (1) look for the word on the word wall; (2) Find a word on the word wall that will help you, e.g., could--> should; (3) look for the word in your dictionary, and (4) look for the word in print around the classroom. 
 

    The remaining strategies were categorized as Tools of the Mind, which included (5) say the word slowly and listen for the sound you hear; (6) think about different spelling patterns that can spell the sound you hear, e.g., ou vs. down; (7) say the word slowly and listen foe any parts you know how to spell, e.g. and in candy; (8) think about the word in your head.  Ask students ‘Can you see the word?’ (9) Think of a word you already know how to spell that will help you understand the word, and (10) think of a word you know that rhymes with the word you are trying to spell.

The results also indicated that interactive writing helped the teacher researcher scaffold the children’s use of those strategies that were taught.  The most frequently observed strategy was checking on the word wall, which provided strong support for early word learning.  Finally, the project suggested that students appropriated a number of those strategies and used them independently during writing activities in the regular classroom.  

In conclusion, the project supported the use of both word study and interactive writing instruction in the early literacy program.  

    Suggestion from this project was that the primary-grade teachers should embrace a word study approach to spelling instruction, and use interactive writing as a powerful context for guided practice with strategic cultural tools and also an instructional activity that will bridge the gap between word study lessons and the struggling learners’ independent writing skills.

The Reading Teacher introduced some article for lessons and teaching tips related to word study.  Teachers may learn new strategies and use them immediately in class.

1.      Weekend News!  A Weekly Writing Activity  

2.      Sort, Hunt, Write: A Weekly Spelling Program  

3.      Spelling Cheerleading: Integrating Movement and Spelling Generalizations 

 

 

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