Language Arts/English Curriculum Frameworks - Albemarle County ...

Word Study in the classroom relies on comparing and contrasting lists of words provided by the
teacher, which exemplify features the child is “using but confusing”. For example, the student might be
attempting to use short vowels in words but using the incorrect vowel. The teacher must provide word
sorts which help the student differentiate between the short vowels so that the student will learn the
difference between the vowel sounds and use them correctly in spelling.
Word Study is discussed in five stages. The earliest stage is the Preliterate stage (emergent) where
heavy emphasis is placed on phonemic awareness, letter recognition and sounds in the initial position.
The second stage, Letter Name (Letter Name-Alphabetic), is where children learn short vowel word
families, short vowels in the medial position, and blends and digraphs. In the third stage, Within Word
Pattern, students learn the numerous patterns that dictate long vowel words in our language. The fourth
stage, Syllable Juncture (Syllable and Affixes), is where students study the rules that dictate the spellings
of words where two-syllables come together. Understanding of the previous stages is crucial at this point.
The final stage, Derivational Constancy (Derivational Relations), continues through adulthood. It
addresses the spelling of the countless words in our language that are related by meaning and thus share
similarities in spelling despite difference in sound and pronunciation.
© ASPIRE K-12, Albemarle County Public Schools, 2003
Appendix B
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