Overview

  • Year Levels F–8
  • Curriculum ACT, NSW, NT, QLD, SA, TAS, VIC, WA, NZ
  • Subject Literacy
  • Resource Formats Print, Digital
  • Learning Focus Word study, spelling and grammar
What it is How it helps What it includes Samples

What it is

Word Study is a developmentally-driven, teacher-directed, student-centred approach to vocabulary growth and spelling development. It enables you to:

  • assess, identify and document each student's spelling stage
  • group students with common needs
  • tailor activities to improve students’ spelling knowledge
  • engage in sound, pattern and meaning activities and word sorts so students gain a better understanding of the principles of spelling.

How it helps

Learners

Use fun activities to engage: Integrate games and activities into the word study program to make learning spelling and vocabulary fun for students.

Tailored to the individual: Caters to differentiated learning in the classroom, rather than a one-size-fits-all solution as it’s based on each student’s spelling knowledge.

Understand the principles of spelling: Engaging sound, pattern and meaning activities to help learners construct and apply their own knowledge of spelling. 

Educators

Detailed resources to support differentiation: Fill spelling knowledge gaps and tailor activities to students with reproducible sorts and word-sorting activities created for Australian classrooms.

Understand where your students are at: Use spelling inventories to assess students and then reassess after explicit teaching and learning to gauge progress.

Simplified lesson planning: Step-by-step teaching notes include generalisations for each lesson highlighting what students will learn, guidance for English language learners, tips for sorting and discussion, critical thinking questions and opportunities to extend and apply learning.

Word Study is a fabulous resource for supporting curriculum differentiation. By using the placement tests, my staff have been able to provide every student with content that is pitched at the appropriate level.
— Stephen Green, Principal at Upper Swan Primary School in Western Australia

What it includes

Discover how the Word Study hands-on approach improves teaching and learning outcomes.

Components

Overview

Shop

Word Study is a complete curriculum of word study for the Emergent, Letter Name-Alphabetic, Within Word Pattern, Syllables and Affixes, and Derivational Relations stages of spelling development.

To suit the needs of your classroom, Word Study resources can be purchased as:

  • individual books
  • individual eBooks
  • a whole school resource pack, ideal for schools looking for a whole school program with eBook access for all teachers on the school network
  • a classroom-ready print pack, ideal for schools needing print only resources. It is most suitable for schools looking to use the resource across one or two year levels.

At minimum, a year level would require at least one copy of each book.

Components

Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling Instruction, Global 7th Edition

Now in its 7th edition, this core teaching resource features:

  • spelling inventories for assessing students and tracking their progress
  • word sorts and word study games using analysis, reflection and discussion to foster critical thinking
  • a new chapter on organising word study in the classroom, as well as new activities, progress monitoring materials and sample lesson plans.

Components

Word Study open access resource repository

The Word Study open access repository offers hands-on, developmentally driven tools to teach phonics, spelling, and vocabulary to all students, including printable spelling inventories, word sorts, and games with guidance on how to use them, as well as tips and tools for tracking student progress and grouping.

Components

Letter and Picture Sorts for Emergent Spellers, Global 3rd Edition

This resource includes 60 reproducible sorts and dozens of other activities and assessments to teach:

  • phonological awareness
  • alphabet knowledge
  • initial letter sounds
  • concepts about print
  • concept of word in text.

Also included in this latest edition are:

  • enhanced step-by-step directions for each sort
  • additional assessments
  • expanded syllable, rhyme and font sorts
  • reorganised word study chapters.

Components

Word Sorts for Letter Name-Alphabetic Spellers, Global 3rd Edition

This resource covers the complete curriculum of word study for the letter name-alphabetic stage of spelling development. It includes:

  • over 80 reproducible sorts, including sorts and activities for:
    • beginning consonant, same-vowel and mixed vowel word families
    • diagraph and blends
    • short vowels in CVC words
    • preconsonantal nasals
    • r-influenced vowels and contractions.
  • teaching tips, standard routines and spell checks for each unit.
  • step-by-step directions, including:
    • generalisations for each lesson highlighting what students will learn
    • tips for sorting and discussion
    • critical thinking questions
    • opportunities to extend and apply learning.
  • unit assessments for monitoring student progress.

Components

Word Sorts for Within Word Pattern Spellers, Global 3rd Edition

This resource covers the complete curriculum of word study for the within word pattern stage of spelling development. It includes:

  • 75 reproducible sorts, including sorts for:
    • short and long vowels
    • common and uncommon long-vowel patterns in CVC and CVCe words
    • r-influenced vowels
    • diphthongs
    • ambiguous vowels
    • complex consonants
    • homophones and more.
  • teaching tips, standard routines and spell checks for each unit.
  • step-by-step directions, including:
    • generalisations for each lesson highlighting what students will learn
    • tips for sorting and discussion
    • critical thinking questions
    • opportunities to extend and apply learning.
  • unit assessments for monitoring student progress.

Components

Word Sorts for Syllables and Affixes Spellers, 3rd Global Edition

This resource covers the complete syllables and affixes spelling development stage of the word study curriculum. It contains:

  • over 60 reproducible sorts, including sorts for:
    • inflected endings
    • compound words
    • long-vowel and other vowel patterns in accented syllables
    • unaccented syllables
    • consonants
    • affixes.
  • teaching tips, standard routines and spell checks for each unit.
  • step-by-step directions, including:
    • generalisations for each lesson highlighting what students will learn
    • tips for sorting and discussion
    • critical thinking questions
    • opportunities to extend and apply learning.
  • unit assessments for monitoring student progress.

Components

Words Sorts for Derivational Relations Spellers, Global 3rd Edition

A complete curriculum of word study for advanced readers in the derivational relations stage of spelling development. It contains:

  • over 60 reproducible sorts, including sorts for:
    • affixes
    • spelling-meaning patterns
    • Latin and Greek words.
  • teaching tips, standard routines, and spell checks for each unit.
  • step-by-step directions, including:
    • generalisations for each lesson highlighting what students will learn
    • tips for sorting and discussion
    • critical thinking questions
    • opportunities to extend and apply learning.
  • English learner notes at the beginning of each unit to provide guidance to teachers, including information on cognates and other related words.
  • unit assessments for monitoring student progress.

Professional development

High Impact Word Study Workshop

Learn how to effectively use Word Study to assess and identify the spelling stages of your students with Pearson's High Impact Word Study workshop. The workshop teaches you how to:

  • tailor spelling activities to support students in their spelling development
  • create a positive approach to the teaching and learning of spelling.

Samples & downloads

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