1. Spell to Excel An inquiry approach to teaching spelling patterns and generalizations

2. Outcomes / Know the history and organization of Spell to Excel / Revisit a sample weekly plan for spelling instruction / Understand word sorts as Spell to Excel’s core instructional activity / Consider research-based practice activities / Explore the need for an instructional link between Spell to Excel, reading, and writing / Know the expectations for implementation. / Know the history and organization of Spell to Excel / Revisit a sample weekly plan for spelling instruction / Understand word sorts as Spell to Excel’s core instructional activity / Consider research-based practice activities / Explore the need for an instructional link between Spell to Excel, reading, and writing / Know the expectations for implementation.

3. What is Spell to Excel? / Spell to Excel is a district-adopted program for teaching spelling in grades 1-5. / It is an inquiry-based approach to learning built on sound research (Bear, Shane and Templeton of Words Their Way, Gentry, Ganske, Snowball, et al.). / Spell to Excel is a district-adopted program for teaching spelling in grades 1-5. / It is an inquiry-based approach to learning built on sound research (Bear, Shane and Templeton of Words Their Way, Gentry, Ganske, Snowball, et al.).

4. What is an inquiry approach to learning? / Students actively seek answers to questions. / Active involvement leads to understanding. / The knowledge constructed can be widely applied. / Students actively seek answers to questions. / Active involvement leads to understanding. / The knowledge constructed can be widely applied.

5. How is Spell to Excel organized? / This program is designed to systematically build spelling knowledge over time. / Teachers use grade-appropriate lists of words to guide students in discovering the patterns and generalizations present in the English language. / The lists include 37 common rimes from which approximately 500 English words can be spelled. / This program is designed to systematically build spelling knowledge over time. / Teachers use grade-appropriate lists of words to guide students in discovering the patterns and generalizations present in the English language. / The lists include 37 common rimes from which approximately 500 English words can be spelled.

6. “Week at a Glance” / To implement the program, a suggested weekly sequence of instruction is provided.

7. “Week at a Glance”: Why it Works / Daily, direct instruction is balanced with research- based practice activities. Explicit instruction engages students in learning new vocabulary in context, sorting words, and spelling by analogy. Practice activities are multimodal study strategies (combine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning modes). / Daily, direct instruction is balanced with research- based practice activities. Explicit instruction engages students in learning new vocabulary in context, sorting words, and spelling by analogy. Practice activities are multimodal study strategies (combine visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning modes).

8. “Week at a Glance” / Since this model is a suggested sequence, teachers may: Begin Day 1 on a day other than Monday. Revise the sequence or add other research-based instructional activities. / Since this model is a suggested sequence, teachers may: Begin Day 1 on a day other than Monday. Revise the sequence or add other research-based instructional activities.

9. Word Sorts / Word sorting is the core instructional activity in Spell to Excel. / Sorts engage students in thinking critically about the way words look and sound. / Word sorting is the core instructional activity in Spell to Excel. / Sorts engage students in thinking critically about the way words look and sound.

10. The Week Begins with Sorting On Day 1, students are introduced to spelling words through a sort. What is the purpose for the Day 1 sort? On Day 1, students are introduced to spelling words through a sort. What is the purpose for the Day 1 sort?

11. Purpose of Day 1 Sort Engage students in 1) noticing and thinking about the week’s focus pattern(s), and 2) forming a generalization. Engage students in 1) noticing and thinking about the week’s focus pattern(s), and 2) forming a generalization.

12. Day 1 Word Sort / What does it look like? / What are the steps? / What does it look like? / What are the steps?

13. Day 1 Word Sort Steps: 1. Identify key words that  illustrate the patterns/generalization to be learned  students may be familiar with, or will see often in reading and/or writing  will support comparing and contrasting features Rationale: Students will be able to use these words to anchor their learning. Steps: 1. Identify key words that  illustrate the patterns/generalization to be learned  students may be familiar with, or will see often in reading and/or writing  will support comparing and contrasting features Rationale: Students will be able to use these words to anchor their learning.

14. Day 1 Sort Cont’d. 2. Introduce the words in a way that supports students in reading and understanding them.  Provide a context for understanding the words (sentences, explanations).  Consider providing a picture context to support ELLs. Rationale: Students need to be able to read the words to sort effectively. If students can’t read the words, sorting will always be a visual matching exercise. 2. Introduce the words in a way that supports students in reading and understanding them.  Provide a context for understanding the words (sentences, explanations).  Consider providing a picture context to support ELLs. Rationale: Students need to be able to read the words to sort effectively. If students can’t read the words, sorting will always be a visual matching exercise.

15. Day 1 Sort Cont’d. 3. Think aloud to model sorting by the pattern or generalization.  Compare and contrast features of words.  Engage students in thinking along during the sort as they demonstrate readiness. Rationale: Just as in learning strategies for comprehending, students need to hear an expert (someone who understands the pattern/generalization) make thinking visible. 3. Think aloud to model sorting by the pattern or generalization.  Compare and contrast features of words.  Engage students in thinking along during the sort as they demonstrate readiness. Rationale: Just as in learning strategies for comprehending, students need to hear an expert (someone who understands the pattern/generalization) make thinking visible.

16. Day 1 Sort Cont’d. 4. Summarize and record the learning (generalization) related to the sort. Rationale: Verbalizing the learning supports students in constructing the target generalization rather than focusing on some less important feature (“They rhyme!”). Students will need to apply these generalizations to read and write proficiently. 4. Summarize and record the learning (generalization) related to the sort. Rationale: Verbalizing the learning supports students in constructing the target generalization rather than focusing on some less important feature (“They rhyme!”). Students will need to apply these generalizations to read and write proficiently.

17. Days 2-5: Direct Instruction / Week at a Glance / Cloze Sentences / Closed/Open Sorts / Making Connections / Week at a Glance / Cloze Sentences / Closed/Open Sorts / Making Connections / Optional Lessons / Sentence Lifting / Develop a Classroom Resource / Teacher-designed lessons

18. Cloze Sentences / Purpose: Build vocabulary. Practice using patterns to decode words in context. Compare and contrast word features. / Purpose: Build vocabulary. Practice using patterns to decode words in context. Compare and contrast word features. / What to do: / Create at least 5 sentences with the week’s spelling words. / Write them on sentence strips or on a transparency, using blanks for missing spelling words. / Together, read and decide which words best complete the sentences, building concept knowledge and vocabulary as you go. Reinforce use of patterns to decode efficiently.

19. Closed/Open Sorts / Purpose: Revisit Day 1 sort by releasing responsibility to students for noticing and thinking about patterns in words. Build independence of thought by leaving the sorting rule open to student choice. / Purpose: Revisit Day 1 sort by releasing responsibility to students for noticing and thinking about patterns in words. Build independence of thought by leaving the sorting rule open to student choice. / What to do: Provide word cards for each student. Student reconstructs Day 1 sort or sorts according to own rule. Student may ask partner or teacher to “Guess my rule.” Sort may be glued in a word study notebook with a written statement about the learning.

20. Making Connections / Purpose of Lesson: Demonstrate how knowing a key word helps us know other words (spelling by analogy). Build knowledge of pattern to apply in reading and writing. / Purpose of Lesson: Demonstrate how knowing a key word helps us know other words (spelling by analogy). Build knowledge of pattern to apply in reading and writing. / What to do: Identify a key word with the focus pattern. Model “If you know…, it helps you know….” Repeat with other key words for patterns in week’s lists. Engage students in making connections while stating, “If you….” Explicitly link this strategy to reading and writing.

21. Sentence Lifting / Purpose: Use a familiar context to model and engage students in strategic thinking. Assess students’ ability to apply knowledge of spelling skills and strategies independently. / Purpose: Use a familiar context to model and engage students in strategic thinking. Assess students’ ability to apply knowledge of spelling skills and strategies independently. / What to do: Select a sentence from the cloze activity. Prepare for lesson per “Sentence Lifting Routine.” Plan models, teaching points, and cues to support the strategic thinking your students need. Assess what students know and need to know for future teaching.

22. Develop a Classroom Resource / Purpose: Actively engage students in using knowledge of patterns and generalizations to construct a classroom resource. / Purpose: Actively engage students in using knowledge of patterns and generalizations to construct a classroom resource. / What to do: Use interactive writing to build a word family/generalization resource. Negotiate and begin list with a key word that students can use as an anchor to spell other words. List other meaningful words that students suggest. Refer to during modeled writing.

23. Daily Practice Opportunities / Alongside explicit spelling instruction, students need practice time to: explore patterns on their own build words in left-to-right sequence make their own connections between what they know and what they are learning engage more than one part of the brain in learning and remembering become more automatic in recognizing and using patterns / Alongside explicit spelling instruction, students need practice time to: explore patterns on their own build words in left-to-right sequence make their own connections between what they know and what they are learning engage more than one part of the brain in learning and remembering become more automatic in recognizing and using patterns

24. “Week at a Glance” Practice Activities / Building Words / Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check / Partner Sorts / Reverse Chaining / Trace, Copy, Recall / Open sorts / Word Hunts / Games / Building Words / Look, Say, Cover, Write, Check / Partner Sorts / Reverse Chaining / Trace, Copy, Recall / Open sorts / Word Hunts / Games What practice activities are not listed here? Why?

25. What is Appropriate Practice? / There are many different ways students can work with patterns and words. / Reading and writing support students in learning and applying knowledge of spelling patterns. / There are many different ways students can work with patterns and words. / Reading and writing support students in learning and applying knowledge of spelling patterns.

26. Connecting Spelling to Reading and Writing / The patterns and generalizations students are learning will support them in reading and writing proficiently. / Teachers can support this outcome by including explicit links between spelling, reading, and writing. / The patterns and generalizations students are learning will support them in reading and writing proficiently. / Teachers can support this outcome by including explicit links between spelling, reading, and writing.

27. Explicit Teaching / At the end of a spelling lesson, clearly summarize the learning and set the expectation that students should use this information when they read and write. / Model noticing and using spelling patterns and generalizations during shared reading. Explicitly state, “You can do this when you’re reading.” / Think aloud during modeled/shared writing to show students how you use patterns/generalizations to spell efficiently. Explicitly remind students to do the same. / At the end of a spelling lesson, clearly summarize the learning and set the expectation that students should use this information when they read and write. / Model noticing and using spelling patterns and generalizations during shared reading. Explicitly state, “You can do this when you’re reading.” / Think aloud during modeled/shared writing to show students how you use patterns/generalizations to spell efficiently. Explicitly remind students to do the same.

28. What about High Frequency Words? / High frequency words are embedded in the lists. Since they typically do not follow patterns, these words must be taught directly.

29. How are HFW taught? / Use the suggested or similar routine for teaching high frequency words effectively, with particular emphasis on the “tricky” part of the word. / Why is this part of the routine so essential to students’ ability to recognize high frequency words? / Use the suggested or similar routine for teaching high frequency words effectively, with particular emphasis on the “tricky” part of the word. / Why is this part of the routine so essential to students’ ability to recognize high frequency words?

30. Reinforcing High Frequency Words / When a high frequency word is taught, ceremoniously add it to the word wall. / Engage students in daily interaction with the word wall. It gives them practice in recognizing HFW. It gives them practice in locating words they will need for writing. Refer to the Spell to Excel manual for word wall practice ideas. / When a high frequency word is taught, ceremoniously add it to the word wall. / Engage students in daily interaction with the word wall. It gives them practice in recognizing HFW. It gives them practice in locating words they will need for writing. Refer to the Spell to Excel manual for word wall practice ideas.

31. Rationale: / The teaching of high frequency words complements the study of patterns and generalizations. / Students receiving direct instruction in both develop into strong spellers. / The teaching of high frequency words complements the study of patterns and generalizations. / Students receiving direct instruction in both develop into strong spellers.

32. How to Know What Students Learned / Weekly tests are quick checks for students and teachers. / The best way to assess what students have learned about patterns, generalizations, and high frequency words is through their writing. / Weekly tests are quick checks for students and teachers. / The best way to assess what students have learned about patterns, generalizations, and high frequency words is through their writing.

33. Assessing Writing / Look for evidence of learning in daily writing / What does the student know and use from previous instruction? / What does the student know and use from current instruction? / What is the student attempting but confusing? / Look for evidence of learning in daily writing / What does the student know and use from previous instruction? / What does the student know and use from current instruction? / What is the student attempting but confusing?

34. What are the Expectations for Spelling Instruction in District 12? / Teach spelling patterns and generalizations through daily, direct instruction and practice. / Follow the teaching sequence in Spell to Excel. / Teach high frequency words and plan daily interaction with the word wall. / Explicitly link spelling instruction to reading and writing. / Assess spelling in writing. / Teach spelling patterns and generalizations through daily, direct instruction and practice. / Follow the teaching sequence in Spell to Excel. / Teach high frequency words and plan daily interaction with the word wall. / Explicitly link spelling instruction to reading and writing. / Assess spelling in writing.

35. Implementing the Program / Remember that building the routines needed to support spelling instruction takes time. / You will develop fluency with direct instruction routines and so will your students. / Remember that building the routines needed to support spelling instruction takes time. / You will develop fluency with direct instruction routines and so will your students.

36. Resources / Sets of videos and CDs with clips from primary and intermediate spelling lessons were given to each school. / The Spell to Excel manual contains a wealth of information. / A grade-level list of spelling generalizations offers background information to support your instruction. / Your literacy coach is also a resource. Just ask! / Sets of videos and CDs with clips from primary and intermediate spelling lessons were given to each school. / The Spell to Excel manual contains a wealth of information. / A grade-level list of spelling generalizations offers background information to support your instruction. / Your literacy coach is also a resource. Just ask!