Mature vs. Immature Word Identification Education 573 Spring, 2014 S. Rosenberg, Ed.D.

1. How do you identify written words? 2. What information and or skills do you use to identify written words? 3. How do you spell written words? 4. What information and or skills do you use to spell written words?

1. What information and/or skills can you use to identify the following nonsense/novel word? Tommy ate a big, green kafimzuggation.

1. What information and/or skills can you use for spelling a word? Tommy ate a big, green __________________

1. How could a beginner identify the word “cat” in the following? (If she is able to identify the preceding words.) 1. Jack has a pet cat.

1. How could a beginner spell the word “cat” in the following? (If she is able tospell the preceding words.) 1. Jack has a pet ______________.

1. How could a beginner identify the word “arcamedis” in the following? (If she is able to identify the preceding words.) 1. Jack has a pet arcamedis.

1. How could a beginner spell the word “arcamedis” in the following? (If she is able to spell the preceding words.) 1. Jack has a pet arcamedis.

Is reading only identifying words? What do we mean when we characterize someone as a “reader?” What do they know that someone who is illiterate doesn’t? What can they do that someone who is illiterate can’t?

Consensus Definition of Reading using knowledge about the written alphabet and about the sound structure of oral words At a general level, reading is a process of getting meaning from print using knowledge about the written alphabet and about the sound structure of oral words for purposes of achieving understanding. “Preventing Reading Difficulties in Young Children” 1998

Meaning and understanding Knowledge of alphabetic characters Knowledge of sounds

Decoding and Comprehension are Separable Individuals can comprehend spoken language without being able to decode a written word. Individuals can decode, but cannot comprehend. To be able to read, an individual must be skilled at decoding and comprehension. Decoding and comprehension are carried out in different parts of the brain.

Just because learning to identify (and spell) words comes early in the learning to read process does not mean it is easy. In fact, for some students (i.e. those With dyslexia) this is the most difficult challenge of the learning to read process.

How do beginners (and struggling readers) identify words?

Using Visual Cues

Using Illustrations The monkey is in a tree.

Using Illustrations The bird is in a tree.

Using Illustrations The tiger is in a tree.

The Three Language Cueing Systems for Decoding Semantics : Meaning cues Syntax: Grammatical Cues/Parts of Speech Graphophonic Cues: Letter –Sound Cues

Using Semantic/Meaning Cues Sam ate a red “.” Semantics: food, color Using the meaning of the sentence to identify the unfamiliar word

Using Syntactic/Grammatical Cues Sam ate a red “.” Syntax: noun Using the knowledge of the type of word to identify an unfamiliar word.

Grapho-phonic/letter-sound relationships Sam ate a red “apple.” Grapho-phonic: “a” “p” “p” “l” “e” Using the knowledge of the relationship between letters and sounds to identify an unfamiliar word.

Using a combination of cues to identify an unfamiliar word Sam gets to school on his “bike.” Semantics: what can you get to school on? Syntax: noun Grapho-phonics: “b” “I” “k” “e”

There is sufficient research results to support the conclusion that it is weak (and beginning) readers who rely on semantic and syntactic cues and not good readers.

How do good readers identify words?

Word Reading Good readers appear to process every letter of the text. a. Good readers “fixate” (their eyes stop) on about 85% of the words in a text. b. It takes more time to read longer words. (i.e. over 6 letters, approximately) c. When individual letters are deleted from a text, it takes good readers longer to read..

Good readers fixate/stop and focus on almost every word Literacy How, Inc.29

Medial letters of words are omitted I c t b e t t I c d a y u d w t I was r g. The p l p r of the h n m d, a g to a r h at C e U y, it d ’t m r I what o r the l s in w d are, the o y I t t g is t t the f t and l t l r be in the r t p e. The r t can be a t l m s and you can s l r d it w t a p m. T s is b e the h n m d d s not r d e y l r by I f, but the w d, as a w e. A g huh? Y h and I a s t t s g was I t!

Medial letters are scrambled I cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno’t mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in wrods are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod, as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!!

Letter level cues are the primary means good readers recognize words (and the letters represent sounds) Good readers do not guess based on the meaning of the text up to that point.

Good readers are expert decoders! Good readers are characterized by their ability to read real and non-sense words in isolation, and without any semantic cues. Good readers decode words “accurately” and “automatically;” that is they can read words with little or no conscious effort.

scuppernogation presterpine planchetting tusiptekable torpoundative unfestability

Good readers can decode novel words accurately and automatically because they can easily associate letters with their sounds, and blend the sounds to pronounce a word; they can recognize common letter combinations automatically, and that makes word recognition for known and unknown words automatic, accurate and fast.

Research results indicated that those first graders who begin to use letter-sound cues earliest go on to be the better readers at the end of the year. The teacher must decide when and how to begin to wean beginners (and struggling readers) away from using the semantic and syntactic context cues. Show them how to build a better mouse trap!

The comprehension of a text depends on accurate and efficient word identification.

after Good readers do use semantic and syntactic cues, but only after they identify the word in order to determine its meaning.

compassion reluctant charismatic

After seeing the picture of the starving children, we all felt pity or compassion for their suffering. Billy was eager for the chance to be captain. He thought that being captain of the team would make him very popular in school. On the other hand Joe was afraid that the time it would take would hurt his grades. He was reluctant to take on the position of captain of the basketball. John Fitzgerald Kennedy, our 35th president, improved human rights and equal rights for all people. People were attracted to his charm and enthusiasm. His personality was described as magnetic. He was a very charismatic president.

Write down what you see after one second exposure.

1.

x m b a d c y

b o r a g l e

c u r r e n t

What does a beginner need to know and do in order to learn how to identify words using the spelling of words/ letters in words?

1. A beginning reader and writer needs to have phonemic awareness- the conscious awareness that words are composed of a series of sounds/phonemes in a specific order. 2. A beginning writer needs to be able to segment words into sounds/phonemes. (spelling) 3. A beginning reader to needs to be able to synthesize sounds/phonemes into words. (word identification) 4. A beginning reader needs to needs to be able to identify letters.

5. A beginning writer needs to needs to be able to form letters. 6. A beginning writer/speller needs to be able to associate phonemes to letters. 7. A beginning reader needs to be able to identify letter/orthographic patterns. 8. A beginning reader needs to be able to associate letter/orthographic patterns with phonemes. 9. A beginning writer/speller needs to be able to associate phonemes with letter patterns.

6. A beginner needs knowledge of letter-sound/phoneme relationships (reading) and sound/phoneme-letter relationships (writing). 7. A beginner needs Knowledge of common spelling rules and patterns/ syllable types (and syllable division rules for multi-syllable words) 8. A beginner needs knowledge of word structure/morphology: prefixes, suffixes, roots.