PARSLEY > Mrs. Cuesta > Words Their Way

Words Their Way:     WTW is individually based on your child's literacy progress.  The program will give each child a hands-on approach to word study through phonics, spelling, and vocabulary.  Students have been grouped according to their literacy needs.  The students may receive their Monday instruction and assessment from another third grade teacher. 

WTW emphasizes learning spelling rules and patterns.  The words will be grouped by a variety of characteristics (short/long vowels, Vowel/Consonant/Consonant/Vowel (VCCV), etc.  The students will keep track of their words, homework, and in class word study in a composition book.  This composition book will need to go home and come to school EVERYDAY!  The composition book will have one pocket in the front for the current week's words.  The pocket in the back will be for previously studied words. 

Each Monday, we will meet during Power Up to test on the previous week's words, assign new word sets and practice word sorts. 

The homework for each night will be to manipulate and study the words.  The following is the homework pattern:

Monday:  Sort un-timed and timed.  Read each word out loud and see how fast you can sort them.  Un-timed at first then timed.  Mix the words up after each sort.

Tuesday:  Word hunt.  Students look for the spelling patterns they are working on in what ever book they are reading.  They don't have to find the exact words on their list--they are looking for words that follow the pattern they are studying.  They can also look for words in newspapers, textbooks, or magazines.  Record the words in your composition book. 

Wednesday:  Writing Sort.  Call out the words and have your student write them into categories by sounds/patterns.  Again, when you write these, do it in your composition book.

Thursday, Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday:  Study your word patterns.  You can repeat a strategy from earlier in the week, or students can create their own sorts.

Students will take their spelling test on Monday morning.  The test will be 10 words chosen from the sort or the pattern.  A new list of words will be started each Monday, the pattern of homework/study continues.....

In compliance with Federal law, including Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the provisions of Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, New Hanover County Schools administers allstate-operated educational programs, employment activities, and admissions without discrimination because of disability, race, religion, national, or ethnic origin, color, age, military service, or gender except where exemption is appropriate and allowed by law.

To file a complaint of discrimination, contact: Dr. Rick Holliday,Assistant Superintendent, Student Support and Federal Programs, 6410 Carolina Beach Road, Wilmington, NC 28412, Telephone (910) 254-4206; Fax(910) 254-4352.