Word Study FAQs

Do I need to prepare materials to teach word study?

Answer: Yes, literally all word study curriculum you will ever use will require preparation if you believe that student needs to make words, segment and blend combinations of sounds/letters. This has kept several educators from historically providing effective word study instruction, but now we know the moral imperative, we can offer that older students, support staff and even parents can help in our preparation of materials.

Do I need to translate the instructions for the word study home link?

Answer: Our Word Study Writers will be sure to include the home link in Spanish and in English when appropriate.

Can I change the language of the focus phrase for my students?

Answer: The focus phrase is intended to communicate the standard for performance, and often requires the use of specific, technical and precise language.  You are free to converse with your students, reflect and paraphrase with them as well. The expectation is that they know the meaning and application of the concepts in the phrase.

Will students be asked about their perception of the Word Study Units?

Answer: Yes, an age appropriate survey will be provided in the Spring.

How do I evaluate whether the word study lessons are transferring to student writing?

Answer: We are working on a checklist of skills for the grade level.  The checklist places the skills across the top and the students names below, allowing for you to check when and which skills are transferring.Example 

Where do students keep their word study lists?  A word wall?

Answer: There are lots of ways that students can keep their word study supports and resources.  Since many students go between classrooms, it is becoming more and more critical that their word study resources go with them-especially because of the Content Based Paired Biliteracy Writing Summatives and the opportunity for transfer.  Coaches have been shared several options of word study and phonics booklets in English. Letras Tramposas (B/V, H, ll/y, c/z/s, etc) need to be available in each classroom in a designated space . Please keep your tools and creative resources coming my way so that we can share them with all.

Day one lessons are quick but day three is very long.  Do I have flexibility in sequence?

Answer: Yes!!! WE trust you.  Take advantage of your instructional minutes.  If you finish early on day one, start day two.

My students are making lots of errors on the high frequency words-what do I do?

Answer: Just remember, in Spanish there are high frequency syllables-rather than words.  Spanish is different that way. In English there are high frequency words. KEY: When a student makes an error in writing a high frequency word, KEY: have them erase the whole word, not just the part they missed.  This way, we focus the eye, brain and hand on transferring the learning.

I do not agree with phoneme segmentation in Spanish.  There is no reason to do this. Can’t I skip that in my lesson?

Answer: The Common Core Standards Written in Spanish for Spanish Foundational skills requires that we teach phoneme segmentation for a very specific purpose, scarey as that might seem.  Silvia Duque-Dorta, one of the authors of the Spanish Common Core, wrote this especially for us in the School District of Waukesha Dual Language Program (for real she did!)

How can I be aware of translanguaging connections in my lessons.  Can the writers cue me up to those opportunities-like a power note?

Answer: YES! We’d love to.  Future Lessons will have an TRANSLANUAGING CONNECTION in a POWER NOTE for you to support your children’s biliteracy and the connections that they might make and that you can certainly help them to make.  Thanks for being champions of Biliteracy!!