November 4, 2011
Dear Parents,
We are changing the word study homework to match what the program suggests. This homework will ensure that your child has many opportunities to sort and think about new words that fit into their sorts. This program is based on research that shows when children work with word features on their level they become better spellers as well as understanding the meanings of words and how they work. Your child will bring home new words every other Friday. The following activities will be modeled in school, so your child should be able to teach you how to do them.
Week 1-the first week of new words
Activity 1: Your child should sort the words into categories like the ones we did in school. Your child should read each word aloud during this activity. Ask your child to explain why the words are sorted in a particular way-what does the sort reveal about spelling in general? Ask your child to sort them a second time as fast as they can.
Activity 2: Do a blind sort with your child. Lay down a word from each category as a header and then read the rest of the words aloud. Your child must indicate where the word goes without seeing it. Lay it down and let your child move it if he or she is wrong. Repeat if your child makes more than one error.
Week 2-the second week of words-the week the test will be given
Activity 1: Assist your child in doing a word hunt, looking for words in a book they have already read that have the same sound, pattern or both. Try to find two to three words for each category. *Your child should write the words in their homework notebook/folder. They will NOT be tested on these words.
Activity 2: Do a writing sort to prepare for the test on Friday. As you call out the words in a random order your child should write them in categories/sorts. Call out any words your child misspells or gets in the wrong sort a second or third time. *Please turn in this sort on Friday in the homework journal.
Your child is not required to turn in all of these activities. You are more than welcome to annotate what nights you did them or to do any work in the homework journal. The goal is for them to get meaningful practice at least twice a week. If your child can do these four activities, they truly understand the sort!