Stage Assignment #1

Alexa Russell

Group

Student

Spelling Stage

Reading/Writing Stage

Receives Intervention

EL

Caleb

Late Letter-Name Alphabetic

Transitional

·

·

Trevor B.

Late Letter-Name Alphabetic

Transitional

·

Sam

Middle Within Word Pattern

Transitional

·

Steven

Middle Within Word Pattern

Transitional

The UBC chart for this group is as follows:

Mastered

UBC

Absent

· Full Phonological Awareness

· Short Vowels in CVC Words

· Spell known sight words

· Consonant diagraphs (Caleb & Trevor B)

· Less common and ambiguous vowel patterns

· –ed and other common inflections

· E-Drop

· Consonant doubling

Group justification. These students were grouped together because they were the only students who had not mastered long vowels in the middle stage of the Within Word Pattern. Additionally, Caleb and Trevor B. need practice on sh and ch digraphs. Once Caleb has mastered sh and Trevor B. has mastered ch, they will be ready to tackle long vowels with Sam and Steven (these two can use the additional practice with diagraphs also).

Sort

The initial sort I will use with this group is as follows:

Short Vowels with Diagraphs

chat

ship

shed

shall

chill

check

chap

chip

shell

shack

whip

then

*Headers will include pictures

Justification. I plan on meeting their instructional needs by including the initial word sort with digraphs. Caleb and Trevor need more instruction on diagraphs. Their spelling inventories showed they struggled with ch and sh digraphs. Once they have mastered digraphs, they will be moving into the Middle Within Word Pattern stage, where all four group members have mastered blends and need instruction with long vowels. Therefore, this sort was used because Caleb and Trevor B. need to master diagraphs before moving on and Sam and Steven could use the additional practice. From there, the next sort can include long vowel practice.

Introduction and guided practice. The day 1 teacher-guided instruction with this sort would follow these steps:

1. Begin by laying down a known word as a header for each vowel (include pictures that go along with each header). Read each word and isolate the vowel: “Here is the word chat. Listen: chat, at, /a/. Chat has the short a sound in the middle. We will listen for other words that have the same vowel sound in the middle. Repeat for each category. *Make note of what sound ch makes and what sound sh makes and the differences (even the differences just between c and ch and s and sh).

2. Pick up a new word such as chip and say, “I am going to put this word under ship. Listen ch-ip, sh-ip. They have the same vowel sound in the middle.” ** Additionally, ask students if they hear the difference in the two beginning sounds (ch and sh). Continue to model one or two words in each category, reading each new word and comparing it to the model word. Ask your students to help finish the sort. They should read each word and then sort it. Once the words are sorted, read down each column to check and discuss how the words in each column are alike. Then, revisit any unknown words (students can be asked to put each in the correct column and sound it out).

3. Reread the words in each column and then lead the students in sorting a second time. Any mistakes should be left until the end and checked by reading down the columns.

EL modifications. There are specific difficulties students with Spanish as their L1 will have with these features in this sort. These difficulties include letter substitutions for short vowels and confusion with sh and ch because the sound ch makes does not exist in Spanish. Caleb will need a lot of support with this sort (especially with words that include the diagraph of ch). Furthermore, Spanish does not have short vowel sounds for a, i, o (he will need help with a and i vowel words). A sort that has pictures for the entire sort, not just the headers, will benefit Caleb. This group is smaller; therefore the teacher has the opportunity to interact with students that need more one-one instruction and can make sure better-tiered instruction is created.

Follow-up/Extension

Activity. Blind Sort (Someone calls the words out to the speller and they have to write it under the correct rule. Do not let the speller see the word, but try and have them visualize the word and how it is spelled).

Justification. It is easy to sort the words visually by attending to the vowels, it is important as a follow-up activity to complete a blind sort. It should first be modeled in a small group and then partners can work together. One partner reads each vowel aloud while the other partner indicates where it goes without seeing the word (this can also help students hear the difference between ch and sh).

Reading

The instructional reading text I would use with this group is the following:

Title: Shelly’s Shell Shop

Author: Cheryl Ryan

Readability Level: Decodable 46

Justification. This decodable reader reinforces the diagraph of sh that was being reviewed in the above sort. I decided to use this book instead of one that had ch because in Spanish the sound ch does not exist and thought it would benefit Caleb. Additionally, I saw it used during our tutoring experience on Wednesday and the second grader liked this selection. He struggled a bit with it; therefore I thought this selection would be perfect for this group (who are in third grade).

Writing

Activity. Writing for sounds in teacher-dictated sentences

Justification. Writing for dictation allows students to concentrate on the writing and spelling process without having to compose original sentences. Spelling dictation is very beneficial because it gives students the chance to practice newly learned words in context and also helps with mastery of a spelling rule or pattern. This activity helps reinforce diagraphs and allows students the opportunity to practice spelling them (so they can be mastered). These students are in the lowest group; therefore they need all the reinforcement and practice they can get.

Intervention Collaboration

Having the reading specialist come into my classroom twice a week would be very convenient. I would definitely take advantage of their resources and skills and collaborate closely with them. We would coordinate a time that best fits our schedule and a time when those three students are not missing the most valuable instruction. In student teaching (Kindergarten) this was during small group guided reading (after they had been to he teacher’s station) during other stations. We would work closely and communicate effectively about the tiered instruction these three students need (come up with a literacy plan so students can get the most out of the instruction).