A chat where literacy education students, preservice teachers, and literacy mentors connect to discuss research and practice, share ideas, and meet new mentors for professional learning.
Hi Everyone! I’m Stephanie, a literacy teacher educator in NY at @UA. I’m tagging in literacy friends who inspire me and love to talk about word study! #preservicelit@drgravityg@PamKou
Any #satchat friends still online and want to join in for #preservicelit? Help support our profession and connect with preservice and new teachers using Twitter to expand their #PLN!
Thanks for joining us, Brent! Seems like far too long that we have been chatting together! My Thursday nights have been busy with baseball! #preservicelit
Hi Everyone! I’m Stephanie, a literacy teacher educator in NY at @UA. I’m tagging in literacy friends who inspire me and love to talk about word study! #preservicelit@drgravityg@PamKou
Hi everyone! I'm Kara, here from New York City. Excited to join you all again at #preservicelit to discuss words and their power and intrigue. #LitBankStreet
A1: Phonemic awareness, phonics, spelling and vocabulary instruction thread together to create word study instruction but should always be in pursuit of meaning and never in isolation. #preservicelit
Now, it is a true chat. Thank you so much for joining us for #preservicelit, Mary! I miss our #g2great chats, but baseball seems to have other plans for my Thursday nights!
A1 First and foremost, strong word study begins with strong context. We cannot underestimate the impact of learning words through authentic sources. That’s has to be a priority! #preservicelit
Word study includes phonemic awareness, phonics, pattern work, and meaning/vocab work. We want a well-balanced diet of active, inquiry-filled, playful, authentic, student-directed word exploring! #preservicelit
A1: The time for students to look carefully at words, notice patterns and make hypothesis. The knowledge to explain why our language works the way it does. The energy to get students excited about words. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A1. There needs to be a system for differentiation in word study. Your students will be in different places in their journey and must be met where they are #preservicelit
A1: I think that word study is such a hard topic to help children with. I do believe that word walls, lots of labeling, and just lots of practice are key to building a large vocabulary. #preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
This. This just says it all in less than 280 characters. Such an important blend of word study with real comprehension and authentic inquiry. #preservicelit
Word study includes phonemic awareness, phonics, pattern work, and meaning/vocab work. We want a well-balanced diet of active, inquiry-filled, playful, authentic, student-directed word exploring! #preservicelit
I agree. These books also helped me understand a great deal about words. I had (and continue to have) a lot of learning to do. I was not taught in this way....but I'm intrigued with understanding our language. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A1 Word study isn't a lonely proposition. Meaningful conversations that revolve around that study are essential as we can both reinforce and extend learning in the company of others. #preservicelit
Now, it is a true chat. Thank you so much for joining us for #preservicelit, Mary! I miss our #g2great chats, but baseball seems to have other plans for my Thursday nights!
I love how you focused on the components for teachers here, Molly. What is the ideal way to introduce teachers to successful word study? #preservicelit
The why behind how words work is fascinating and necessary. Rote memorization is fleeting and won't stick. Understanding the why=greater access to books, conversing with others, sharing our ideas... #preservicelit
A1: The time for students to look carefully at words, notice patterns and make hypothesis. The knowledge to explain why our language works the way it does. The energy to get students excited about words. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
A1 It’s so important that we do not allow word study to become surface level looking up words. Kids need to consider words from every angle through meaningful and ACTIVE engagement. #preservicelit
Such an important point. So much of being an educator is reflecting on and rethinking what we experienced and then acting on our own learning. #preservicelit
A1. There needs to be a system for differentiation in word study. Your students will be in different places in their journey and must be met where they are #preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
A1 Word study must be meaningful and occur in context rather than isolation. Further, choice fosters deeper engagement, motivation, and purpose when studying unknown words as we all have different levels of understanding along a continuum of development. #preservicelit
I find this is where teachers need additional support. It can be so chaotic to have multiple groups, word lists and practices going on. A system of organization is key! #preservicelit
Thank you so much! My ideas come from my mentors- so many greats in the field, in our buildings, and especially the learners I have worked wth for the last (almost) 20 years! #preservicelit Incredibly grateful for their guidance and the experiences they have provided!
A2: I have seen varying approaches: word study as morning work, as a literacy station or as a part of small group instruction. The practice is easier to fit in, but the guided teaching needs to be carefully planned for. #preservicelit
We need more of this energy! If we shifted our stance from word 'work' to word 'energy', we can only imagine the possibilities for reading and writing! #preservicelit
A1: The time for students to look carefully at words, notice patterns and make hypothesis. The knowledge to explain why our language works the way it does. The energy to get students excited about words. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
I find this is where teachers need additional support. It can be so chaotic to have multiple groups, word lists and practices going on. A system of organization is key! #preservicelit
A2 Word study is that it needs it's own isolated instructional time, but once your students are on about words, it pops up and can be reinforced during all literacy experiences. Students begin to notice how words work every time they read and write. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
I don't know Peter Bowers but I'll look him up right after this chat! JH is a time crunch. Could word study could be some ongoing, more independent work. Teaching, asking kids to do some practice independently, discussing again after a week or two? #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
Spring activities of my kids are getting in the way of my #g2great fill up lately too. In withdrawal. Looking forward til the end of this lax season. lol #preservicelit
A2: I try to work in the language and vocab of word work into conferencing. Giving feedback on word choice. I need to grow in the spelling instruction. In JH the kids are very sensitive to things being "too elementary" Spelling for JH would be a great help #preservicelit
A2 You DON’T fit it all in… you priority and make room for what is going to have the biggest impact. We have to make choices. Do we play a contrived word game or do we actively engage kids in word study. I think it’s about saying NO so we can say YES! #preservicelit
idea:10-15 minutes/period. Keep it at the beginning or it will likely get pushed out regularly :-) During reading units, focus on word exploring, during writing units focus on language/usage exploring. Nothing is "perfect" but "more than now" is pretty fantastic! #preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
A2. A good bit of meaningful word study can happen during guided reading groups -- with whole texts to link our district did a chat on this with lots of examples at #GRwordwork#preservicelit
#preservicelit ¡Hola todos! Good morning! I am Luis Miranda. I am Bank Street grad school student and Spanish teacher in NYC. Happy to join the conversation #LitBankStreet
I love the immediacy of this model, @ssvincent word study and direct connection to the whole text. I'm eager to visit the chat. Thanks for sharing. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A2. A good bit of meaningful word study can happen during guided reading groups -- with whole texts to link our district did a chat on this with lots of examples at #GRwordwork#preservicelit
A2: This is why read aloud is so important. Read aloud can be used for so many different things. And when you read aloud to your students they have opportunities to ask questions about the words as well as the story. #preservicelit
More than now. I think that will have to be a new meme on my office wall for word study, more reading, daily writing and more! Thanks, Pam! #preservicelit
idea:10-15 minutes/period. Keep it at the beginning or it will likely get pushed out regularly :-) During reading units, focus on word exploring, during writing units focus on language/usage exploring. Nothing is "perfect" but "more than now" is pretty fantastic! #preservicelit
A1: In my elementary teaching days I tried a million things for word study. I started getting into Peter Bowers SWI and found it very interesting but with the reduced time in JH I am not sure how to make it work. #preservicelit
#preservicelit ¡Hola todos! Good morning! I am Luis Miranda. I am Bank Street grad school student and Spanish teacher in NYC. Happy to join the conversation #LitBankStreet
Even 10 min most days will make a huge difference! Check out sample schedules in this blog... but also find ways to blur the lines between content areas and embed/integrate word exploring all day long. THIS is key to transfer- and much easier than we might expect.#preservicelit
A2 It’s so important to plan for vocabulary study but also to be willing to take advantage of those teachable moments that CRY for word study. After an engaging discussion of words, jigsaw word study lets us take advantage of student interest. #preservicelit
This is an important lesson for teachers. We cannot possibly fit it all in, so don't try to...prioritize instead to ensure meaningful work for students. #preservicelit
A2 You DON’T fit it all in… you priority and make room for what is going to have the biggest impact. We have to make choices. Do we play a contrived word game or do we actively engage kids in word study. I think it’s about saying NO so we can say YES! #preservicelit
A3: We might assess word sorts and other word study routines, but let’s not forget that the primary goal of word study is connected reading and writing. Use authentic reading and write to lean in and observe what students know and can do. #preservicelit
YES! win-win-win. Meaningful, authentic, active learning for & by the kids... less time at the copier and "checking silly tasks" on our preps and at home. #losetheworksheets#preservicelit
A3: The biggest take away that I get from student work is that they are willing to try being creative in word choice. They are not always reflective on the words however which makes for some interesting reading "Bill lollygagged quickly down the street" #preservicelit
A3 Above all we can be expert kidwatchers who are present in learning moments and notice those wonderful opportunities where words beckon for deeper study. Word study isn’t just what we put in the schedule but what we embrace when words call us #preservicelit
A3. My answer for everything is: running records! Examine errors made in real reading to see what student already uses and what they are ready to learn! #preservicelit
A3: Listen to students and encourage their curiosity. I have a 1st grader collecting words in a manilla folder to try to figure out if all 7 letter words have two syllables. He asked, and we set him up to discover on his own. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
Daily read alouds are so important. I love how Bitsy from @ChoiceLiteracy encourages teachers to create a stack of read alouds each day and then ensure they are read all day long for joyful learning. #preservicelit
A3 I’ve always been fascinated by words and I think that the teacher can create a spark for word learning. Joyful celebration and appreciation of words is key and that comes from how we interact with the in the course of reading and writing. #preservicelit
A3: This also happens when we look at their writing, collect their spelling approximations, and notice patterns with one student or across the class. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
Definitely. Also 2-3 intentionally flexible groups is plenty. Less is more here. Fewer groups to run between means providing more frequent, explicit feedback and support for everyone #preservicelit
I find this is where teachers need additional support. It can be so chaotic to have multiple groups, word lists and practices going on. A system of organization is key! #preservicelit
I just started reading @smokeylit Curious Classroom and am brimming with ideas. I never thought to bring this same lens to word study, but will now. Thanks, Kara! #preservicelit
A3: I believe that you can build your lesson around words that students seem to have difficulty with. Words that come up frequently with in their writing that always get misspelled. This can help them to learn those high frequency words that they are using. #preservicelit
This kind of analysis is imperative to creating groups of students who can work together. I usually use the one from "Words Their Way". I'm eager to take a look at yours. Thanks for sharing. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
Words are the ultimate way to provide access. Words are a gateway to ...everything and studying, exploring, and collecting words is always worthy of our time and attention. #preservicelit
A3 I’ve always been fascinated by words and I think that the teacher can create a spark for word learning. Joyful celebration and appreciation of words is key and that comes from how we interact with the in the course of reading and writing. #preservicelit
A4: Hold meaning-making as most important. Think about how word study can support connected reading and writing and ensure an appropriate ratio of word study work to real reading and writing. In our lessons, word study is 5-10 minutes & reading & writing is 30-40. #preservicelit
A4 We can create a thoughtful merger of word study with a whole to part to whole mindset. Start and end with meaningful contexts and provide time for word study. #preservicelit
So glad to hear you say this @PamKou Teachers have to consider how they can be most present during group time. I agree, less is more here. We have to make things manageable for the teaching to be deep. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
Definitely. Also 2-3 intentionally flexible groups is plenty. Less is more here. Fewer groups to run between means providing more frequent, explicit feedback and support for everyone #preservicelit
I find this is where teachers need additional support. It can be so chaotic to have multiple groups, word lists and practices going on. A system of organization is key! #preservicelit
A4 Our brains are never as fully active as when we’re teaching something to somebody else (good for us). It’s so important that we make ample space for kids to teach words to others #preservicelit
A3: Watch and talk to students instead of always trying to guess their strategies or thinking. Bring student work to grade-level and team meetings. Get and gift perspectives and ideas to/for colleagues. Let's support each other as we support learners and learning #preservicelit
A3. I also recommend the "Not This But That" series -- the ones on Spelling and Phonics get right to the point and are easy to read for busy teachers! #preservicelit
A4: I think this is a time and purpose issue. I have let this slip in JH, again time. So much to do the meaningful feedback tends to focus on content and organization and less on word work. I need to find that balance. #preservicelit
In this way students see a direct connection between their work and your instruction. It's empowering for them to see improvement and change and growth. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
A3: I believe that you can build your lesson around words that students seem to have difficulty with. Words that come up frequently with in their writing that always get misspelled. This can help them to learn those high frequency words that they are using. #preservicelit
A4 We can create a thoughtful merger of word study with a whole to part to whole mindset. Start and end with meaningful contexts and provide time for word study. #preservicelit
A4: Think of bolstering practices already in place instead of trying to "add more" or "fit more." Use components of balanced literacy and emphasize words more frequently and explicitly. Model & make the connection apparent & unavoidable :-) #preservicelit
Thank you to all #preservicelit educators chatting today! Let’s keep the rich conversation alive and slow chat all month long. Share titles, ideas and experiences as they relate to word study and be sure to check the feed all month! The archive of our chat will be posted soon!
It's SO inspiring our future Ts are taking time on a Saturday to learn about this beautiful profession they are about to enter! My advice - NEVER STOP! The minute we stop making our own learning a priority we not only cheat kids we chat ourselves. #preservicelit
A3: Watch and talk to students instead of always trying to guess their strategies or thinking. Bring student work to grade-level and team meetings. Get and gift perspectives and ideas to/for colleagues. Let's support each other as we support learners and learning #preservicelit
A4 The name of the game is always transfer. Periodically I ask students to identify where word study supports their reading and writing. Highlighting tape to identify words in books. Circling words in writing where they stopped to analyze spelling. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
I think that’s such a great thing. Teachers can always help to improve their classroom by continuing their reading and their research for their students success.
Anything learned in isolation tends to stay in isolation! Letters, sounds, and words need books... and pencils and paper and keyboards and people to talk with and listen to. #preservicelit
A4 We can create a thoughtful merger of word study with a whole to part to whole mindset. Start and end with meaningful contexts and provide time for word study. #preservicelit
A3: Watch and talk to students instead of always trying to guess their strategies or thinking. Bring student work to grade-level and team meetings. Get and gift perspectives and ideas to/for colleagues. Let's support each other as we support learners and learning #preservicelit
I love this self-reflection. Just as we would ask 'Does it sound right, look right, make sense?", we ask how word study can support their reading and writing. #preservicelit
A4 Our brains are never as fully active as when we’re teaching something to somebody else (good for us). It’s so important that we make ample space for kids to teach words to others #preservicelit
A3. I also recommend the "Not This But That" series -- the ones on Spelling and Phonics get right to the point and are easy to read for busy teachers! #preservicelit
A4: I think by watching their improvement with their writing and reading can really show you the difference to see if your lesson plans are working. #preservicelit
Thanks for pulling us all together @AffinitoLit It's so great to begin a Saturday morning like this. I love connecting to teachers with such a diversity of knowledge. Conversation helps us all. #LitBankStreet#preservicelit
It's SO inspiring our future Ts are taking time on a Saturday to learn about this beautiful profession they are about to enter! My advice - NEVER STOP! The minute we stop making our own learning a priority we not only cheat kids we chat ourselves. #preservicelit
I am quite shy-but since you mentioned it...my @CorwinPress book on word study comes out this fall! It is jam-packed with very practical step-by-step advice (and resources) for rolling out, lifting the level of, and embedding word study in all we do! #preservicelit
Yes!!!! And we have so much work to do to recruit and retain folks in our field. Thank you for your continuous support of our educators! #preservicelit
