RESOURCES for PARENTS

In K-2 teachers need 2 to 2 ½ hours per day for spelling, reading, writing and grammar, and literature. When integrating the different literacy components, teachers are able to make the most of the minutes. We recommend scheduling 8 to 9 literacy sessions in 15-20 minute chunks spread throughout the day. This is discussed in detail in the grade level Teacher Guides.

Spelling Camp: For students enrolling new to your school for the next school year, schedule a two week “Orthography Camp” prior to the beginning of the year. (Two hours each morning – or total of 10-20 hours of instruction.) The students in 2nd-6th grade should attend the camp. In general, it is successful to group 2-3 and then 4-6 for instruction. The goal is to teach the 72 phonograms with handwriting and the spelling analysis and marking system needed for daily spelling lessons. Intervention: For new students who enter the school mid-year, each school must develop a plan based on the personnel available at your school to support these students. Tutoring will be required and should be scheduled over the course of the first several weeks. If the teacher provides the tutoring it could be done either before, during or after school. It is ideal to use Student Services staff to provide the extra practice opportunities needed to help catch new students up to their classmates. Focus the initial instruction to help these students learn the phonograms with correct handwriting. Then add a few basic rules of orthography, so that the new student can be successful during a spelling lesson. If students know the phonograms, they will receive a great deal of practice with the rules during their daily spelling lessons. It is often helpful to require new students to mark their spelling words like everyone, but not count the markings for a grade on quizzes for 6 weeks to allow them the time needed to learn the marking system.

The marking system used for spelling words is the way students show they understand the spelling rules (orthography) for a given word. The marking system is analogous to showing your work in math. Teachers ask students to show all the steps used to solve a math problem so they can be sure the student was thinking correctly. The marking system for orthography is the way a student can show the teacher they understand the rules behind the spelling for a word and have not just simply visually memorized the spelling. The markings help students visually see the orthography that explains the spelling for a word. To think correctly about the spelling of a word, the word will be analyzed and practiced with a syllable break, 2- or more letter phonograms will be underlined to show those letters work together to represent one sound, numbers above a phonogram depict which sound of that phonogram occurs in the word, and specific English orthography rules are each marked in a particular way. The markings act as a mnemonic that is helpful for memory. The process of marking shows the student is learning to analyze words correctly. The analysis needed to mark a word will translate to decoding skills in reading. When words are taught and analyzed in the manner just described, they are stored differently in the brain. The question may be asked, “What is the problem with just visually memorizing spelling words?” The answer has to do with how the brain stores words that are coded versus visually memorized. There is a storage capacity limitation for words that are stored visually. Teaching the code provides students with the necessary spelling categories and rules that apply broadly to groups of words enabling them to learn to spell and read many more words than just those appearing in the spelling lessons.

Literacy Essentials: The Journey From Spelling to Reading® begins with spelling in order to teach the necessary skills for how the English language works. As, well, the program is taught with long term mastery for spelling the words in mind. Spelling is approached by learning principles that apply to many words which are taught in a multisensory way with many punctuated practices throughout the day. Therefore, more words can be expected to be mastered than with a traditional spelling program that relies exclusively on visual memory. The traditional method of crash memorizing 20 words a week does not translate to correct spelling in writing over the long term for many students. Two weeks after a spelling test, the students are spelling the words incorrectly when writing them in a sentence. To help students achieve long term memory of their spelling words, a larger list of words is taught and practiced over four weeks which includes integrated practice using the words during sentence writing. Additionally, because we teach reading through spelling, and we do not want children to guess at words when reading in text, students need to have explicit instruction for spelling many words. If we want students to advance in reading skills, then we spend a great deal of time working on those skills through spelling. The more words a child is exposed to through spelling, the more information they will have to approach words when reading. We do not want students in text that contains words they do not have the skills to decode. Students need the number of words given per week in order to make the necessary advances we want to see in reading. This has a double benefit in that spelling well also frees students to write well about significant content.

The simplest answer to that question is STRATEGIC PRACTICE. The better question is, “Why do we have a new list and a review list of words being practiced simultaneously?” By prolonging the time between introducing a new word and when it is expected to be mastered, we are ensuring that the word is not just being learned for the short-term and then forgotten. It is well worth the extra planning it will require to juggle both new words and those that are being reviewed. Therefore, once introduced, words will be given at least two full weeks of practice (some words three weeks of practice) prior to evaluating them for the first time. While there are 48 words on each list in Grades 1-2, only a portion of the words are difficult enough to require ongoing practice. Not all words are created equal regarding spelling difficulty. This means that only some of the 48 words from the old list will require ongoing practice. Prioritize the most difficult words verses all words receiving the same number of practices. Dictated sentences during grammar provides additional practice with spelling fluency. Implementing the following strategic plan will keep the actual number of words needing ongoing practice manageable: Four punctuated practices of new words on the day they are introduced. One literacy session per day should review the most difficult words in the list scheduled to be tested. One key provision for practicing review words occurs following the Practice Quiz. Partner practice targeting words a student missed on the Practice Quiz limits the total number of words each student is reviewing. For detailed explanation see the Teacher Guide for each grade level. Grade 1- Week 8, Assessment, Deep Dive into: Practice for the Spelling Mastery Test. Grade 2 – Week 3, Assessment, Deep Dive into: Track and Assess Spelling Vocabulary Lists. Prescribe dictated sentences during grammar to practice words on the list to be tested.

Certainly, and it is preferable for younger students. However, we have found that by the end of first semester of first grade, students are able to take a 48 word assessment without difficulty. If you have a student who cannot handle the length of the test, a separate testing plan should be made to support that student.

First, check your schedule for the total literacy minutes per day. Literacy Essentials is written with the expectation that teachers will have 2 – 2 ½ hours each day for all of literacy. Second, if you have the correct minutes available, and you plan by using the literacy session examples in your guides you should be able to complete all the components. Third, use a timer to keep your minutes on track with each session. This keeps your lesson moving and helps you be aware if you are moving too slowly within the lesson. If you are planning and timing your literacy sessions but it is consistently taking you longer than allotted, you will need to reflect upon why the issue persists: Consider your classroom management and procedures. Do you need to practice the procedures you have in place, so that students can move in and out of the sessions more quickly? Do you need to become more familiar with the content prior to your lesson? Consider whether you are intervening with struggling students at the expense of the pacing of the whole class. Use your intervention session to address the needs of strugglers rather than whole class teaching time.

The goal of homework is to provide effective practice for children as they move toward mastery of various literacy skills. The heart of this goal revolves around the question of “What is effective practice?” The person involved with practice must know the program well enough to provide oversight and correction in order to be effective. Phonograms: Phonograms are taught in a multisensory way which requires handwriting. The handwriting is not a copy methodology. Students are given specific handwriting instruction that includes how to hold the pencil, verbalizing where to place the tip and the direction for the initial movement to begin letter formation (the starting spot), as well as all the other touch points to complete each letter as they write. Parents would need to understand this language of instruction for handwriting. As well, a parent would need to know all 72 phonograms and an accurate/correct pronunciation for each sound. Additionally, knowledge of the rules that correspond to several of the phonograms would be required. Spelling: Spelling words are not practiced by calling out letters, nor are they practiced by copying a word multiple times. Again, the program utilizes a multisensory approach. With that in mind, parents would first need knowledge of how to use the spoken/auditory recording of the word (which would include correct syllabication for multi-syllable words and correct “say to spell” pronunciations, e.g.. said). Next, the parent would need to help the student determine which phonogram is used to spell the sounds they hear (e.g., see vs sea, which spelling pattern for the sound /E/). The parent would need to understand the rules of orthography and the marking system. Without this knowledge the parent is unable to offer the support necessary for “effective practice.” Given the complexities of teaching orthography, the school needs to assure parents that the classroom teacher will own the responsibility for teaching and practicing to mastery handwriting, phonograms, and spelling. (The three to five struggling students and/or students coming in new to the school in each classroom will need a plan that could include help from Student Services in order to receive the number of practices necessary to acquire mastery.) Ideas for Effective Practice at Home: Once handwriting has been “mastered” in the classroom, sentence writing with spelling words and reading the spelling words for automaticity are skills that could be practiced effectively at home. With K-1, the parents should read aloud to their children and once the children are reading in the classroom, the student can read to the parent. Ineffective Telling students/parents to watch the You Tube videos to learn the phonograms. (The purpose of the video was to give teachers support for their mastery of the phonograms prior to and following training.) Rote copying of letters for handwriting practice, phonograms or spelling words multiple times. Sending home weekly phonogram or spelling monitoring practices or quizzes. These assessments are for the teacher’s use for intervention and are kept in each student’s practice/assessment folder for use during partner practices. The assessments should help the teachers isolate the phonograms or words the class needs to continue to practice. Sending monitoring practices home while the students are still in the “practice” phase can cause parents to feel responsible to do something about the “missed” phonograms/words. Help Parents Navigate the New Paradigm: If the school has the resources, you could provide training for interested parents throughout the school year on handwriting, phonograms, and orthography. However, even in providing this support to parents, it would not change the fact that the responsibility for teaching and practicing spelling words should be the responsibility of the teacher. Honest conversations with parents who have struggling students are important. Parents need to understand how to think about orthography in early elementary. Spelling is more difficult than reading. Often children who are performing at 60% in spelling are reading on grade level. The goal is spelling to read. Some struggling students may lag behind in spelling all the way through lower elementary. Conversations with parents should convey that the teacher takes responsibility for spelling/orthography intervention versus expectations that the parent, who has not been trained in this method, is expected to offer the help that a student needs. Without proper training, parents may offer help that will actually cause confusion and conflict with the instruction occurring at school.

Most reading programs display the alphabet to support students as they learn the letter names and copy the letter formation. Literacy Essentials teaches letter formation by explicitly teaching students to talk through the starting spot and direction of the initial stroke and touch points for accurate formation. Students begin with only lowercase and then add uppercase letters after lowercase are mastered. Seeing all 26 letters upper and lowercase displayed is not necessary in the early stages of literacy in Kindergarten. Instead, a phonogram card is used to introduce a letter and its sounds. Letter formation instruction occurs first at the whiteboard and then students talk through the letter formation writing on their paper. An alphabet displayed can be used once students have learned the first 26 letters upper and lowercase, and all the sounds each letter makes. We recommend using the alphabet strip that is part of the Literacy Essentials curriculum so that when it is needed for alphabetizing students will see the correct letter formation without pictures.

Letter formation is not taught in alphabetical order but rather by grouping letters for handwriting instruction, specifically by the initial stroke of the letter. Each letter has a “starting spot” where the pencil tip is placed on the lined paper in order to correctly begin formation. All the letters in one grouping start at the same place on the paper, and the initial movement of the pencil is the same as well. Organizing the instruction of letter formation by the starting spot helps reduce confusion and aids practice for muscle memory.

Instead of learning letter names, students initially learn all the sounds represented by the 26 letters of our alphabet and how to write the lowercase letters. The name of a letter is not helpful for reading and spelling. Students will not need the letter names until they encounter alphabetizing toward the middle of first grade. This means there is no urgency in teaching the letter names. We postpone the letter names to prevent confusion with the sounds the letters represent. The sounds are needed for spelling and reading. Capital letter formation is taught after mastery of the 26 lowercase letters and is taught when needed to capitalize the first word when writing sentences and to write their names. Letter names are introduced during uppercase letter formation but not emphasized or expected to be mastered until later in the year.

Most reading programs display the alphabet to support students as they learn the letter names and copy the letter formation. Literacy Essentials teaches letter formation by explicitly teaching students to talk through the starting spot and direction of the initial stroke and touch points for accurate formation. Students begin with only lowercase and then add uppercase letters after lowercase are mastered. Seeing all 26 letters upper and lowercase displayed is not necessary in the early stages of literacy in Kindergarten. Instead, a phonogram card is used to introduce a letter and its sounds. Letter formation instruction occurs first at the whiteboard and then students talk through the letter formation writing on their paper. An alphabet displayed can be used once students have learned the first 26 letters upper and lowercase, and all the sounds each letter makes. We recommend using the alphabet strip that is part of the Literacy Essentials curriculum so that when it is needed for alphabetizing students will see the correct letter formation without pictures.

Letter formation is not taught in alphabetical order but rather by grouping letters for handwriting instruction, specifically by the initial stroke of the letter. Each letter has a “starting spot” where the pencil tip is placed on the lined paper in order to correctly begin formation. All the letters in one grouping start at the same place on the paper, and the initial movement of the pencil is the same as well. Organizing the instruction of letter formation by the starting spot helps reduce confusion and aids practice for muscle memory.

Instead of learning letter names, students initially learn all the sounds represented by the 26 letters of our alphabet and how to write the lowercase letters. The name of a letter is not helpful for reading and spelling. Students will not need the letter names until they encounter alphabetizing toward the middle of first grade. This means there is no urgency in teaching the letter names. We postpone the letter names to prevent confusion with the sounds the letters represent. The sounds are needed for spelling and reading. Capital letter formation is taught after mastery of the 26 lowercase letters and is taught when needed to capitalize the first word when writing sentences and to write their names. Letter names are introduced during uppercase letter formation but not emphasized or expected to be mastered until later in the year.