1. Effective Literacy Instruction
Walpole McKenna
Vs.
Word Study
By: Natasha Haskins

2. Problematic Issue Inconsistent instruction was being delivered
A new reading program was implemented – Walpole McKenna
Program focused mainly on phonics
Previous components were eliminated – Word Study
Guided Reading

3. Walpole McKenna Sharon Walpole & Michael C. McKenna
Program model intended to be used to plan & deliver differentiated reading instruction
Model of differentiation is not the same as guided reading
Belief: “Youngsters who have acquired a full range of word recognition skills benefit from the guided reading approach; however……
Children who are not yet proficient decoders
should have small-group time used in other ways” p. 3

4. Walpole McKenna (cont.)
Walpole McKenna approach supports Chall’s idea that “a child must pass through discernable stages in route to proficiency.” p. 3
Challenging reading instruction provided according to these stages:
More skills focused – phonetic skills
Vocabulary and Comprehension
Fluency and Comprehension
Word Recognition and Fluency
Phonological Awareness and Word Recognition

5. Literacy Interwoven threads working together
Oral Language & Stories
Writing
Reading
Spelling or Orthography
WTW p. 1

6. Word Study
Purpose: Helps achieve mastery in recognizing, spelling & defining specific words
Why teach word study?
Develop a general knowledge of English Spelling
Learn the regularities, patterns & conventions of English orthography/spelling needed to read & spell
Increases specific knowledge of words – spelling &
meanings

7. *EFFECTIVE WORD STUDY INSTRUCTION*
Word Study (cont.)
Becoming fully literate – dependent on fast, accurate recognition of words & their meanings in text
Also depends on fast accurate production of words in writing so that readers & writers can focus attention on making meaning.
Vital aspect to any literacy program - teach necessary skills, engages interest & motivation to learn about how words work
*EFFECTIVE WORD STUDY INSTRUCTION*

8. Spell The Word

9. Instruction Sequence Word Study Walpole McKenna
Initial/Final consonants bed cat
Short vowels ship
Blends & Diagraphs br, tr, sh, ch
Long Vowels oa, ai, a-e
Other Vowels oi, ow, ar, er
Inflected Endings -pping, ed
Syllable Junctures rr, tt
Unaccented Final Syllables er, le, en
Harder Suffixes -ure, -tion
Bases or Roots pos-, civil-
Basic Alphabet Knowledge (ABC’s)
Letter Sounds /c/ /a/ /t/
Letter Patterns -at -ag -ap
Blends & Digraphs bl, cl, fl, sl
sh, ch, th
R-control ar, er, ur, ir, or, ur
Vowel-Consonate-e cute
Long Vowel Teams ai, eigh, ay

10. Statistics

11. Statistics

12. Solution Literacy block that includes:
Reading – Using Readers Workshop Approach
(Debbie Miller)
Writing – Incorporated into Reading; Writer’s
Notebook
Word Study – Words Their Way
Walpole McKenna will be used as a remediation resource.

13. 3 Year Literacy Improvement Plan
Word Study
Consistent Instruction
Recorded PD opportunities - Friday during Common Planning
Meeting 30 mins.
Word Their Way Spelling Inventories – Primary, Elementary, Upper-Level
Word Sort – Open Sort
Word Hunt
Hopping Frog Game

14. Word Sort Word Hunt Hopping Frog Game

15. 3 Year Plan (cont.)
Reading - Readers Workshop Approach – “Reading With Meaning” by Debbie Miller
(Teaching Comprehension in the Primary Grades)
Writing – Writer’s Notebook

16. Effective Literacy Plan: Improve student learning
Overview
Effective Literacy Plan: Improve student learning
Comprised of all components needed to provide concrete literacy instruction: word study, reading & writing (oral language, stories, reading, writing, orthography)
Best Practices
Teacher led by modeling
Students engage with scaffolding from teacher
Students practice for mastery

17. References
Bear, D. R, Johnston, F., Invernizzi, M., Templeton S. (2012). Words Their Way. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc. Miller, D. (2002). Reading With Meaning. Portland, ME: Stenhouse Publishers. Walpole, S, McKenna, M. C. (2009). How to Plan Differentiated Reading Instruction Resources for Grades K-3. New York, NY: The Guilford Press.