Assessment and Instruction Report #2: Word Study

Completed During Elementary School Visit 1

Assignment Description and Template

Part 1: Overview

Teacher Candidates: Project Supervisor/School or Site/District or Date Grade

Allison Dermody City 2/28/24 2nd
Lauren Conard Dr. Johnson
Jamar Moore Ellis Elementary School District 175,
Belleville, IL
Student Name and Pseudonym Used for Assessment Time: 8:30-9:30
Student
Henry Braun (Harold)
Student #1
Classroom Context:
Ellis Elementary School is in Belleville Illinois. The student that our group had was a little shy,
but he was excited to show our group his reading ability. At Ellis Elementary, students are
encouraged to show what they know and work from the level that the student is at. The
students are able to work in their classrooms and share their ideas. When doing this activity,
our group made clear to the student that it is okay if he made mistakes when spelling because
mistakes are how we learn. We also let the student know that some words might be difficult, or
unknown to him before. We told him to try his best.

Part 2: Diagnostic Assessment Plan

Word Study Diagnostic Assessment Tool Descriptions
Elementary Spelling Inventory Forms Posted on CIED 321 Blackboard
1. Qualitative Spelling Checklist for Developmental Stages of Spelling (TRW, p. AA-51)
2. Elementary Spelling Inventory with Directions (TRW p. AA-59)
3. Elementary Spelling Inventory Feature Guide Data Table (TRW p. AA-60)

Teacher Candidate Partner(s): Allison Dermody, Lauren Conard, Jamar Moore

Assessment Procedure
a. Our group started by talking with Harold and saying “We are wanting to learn
about how kids like you spell words, so we can learn to be better teachers.
Could you help us by spelling a few words?”
 b. Harold immediately said yes, and then we told him “It is okay if you make
mistakes when spelling the words because that is how we learn.”
c. We also told Harold to let us know when he is ready to move from word to
word.
d. Harold was ready to spell, so Jamar read out the words one by one and gave a
corresponding sentence while Allison and Lauren took notes on Harold’s habits
while spelling.
e. Once Harold was done, we thanked him for allowing us a window into his
thinking, and he was helping us become better teachers.
2. Pictures listed below.

Part 3: Commentary
Assessment Commentary:
1. What are the phonetic strengths of this reader’s knowledge of word identification?
Allison- When looking at the phonetic strength, I noticed the student, Harold, was able to use
SH sounds. This is called a constant digraph. “Two consonant letters that represent one sound”
(TRW, pg. 38). Harold had the words ship and shopping. He was able to spell ship, and he was
almost able to spell shopping, he spelled it with one p “shoping”. Harold was also good at
constant blends which is “two or three consonant letters in which each letter keeps the sound it
would have occurred by itself” (TRW, pg. 38). Harold was able to spell fruit.

Lauren- When looking at the phonetic strengths, I looked at the area that Harold was most
consistent in identifying when spelling. Harold was 100% accurate in identifying consonants
for the Qualitative Spelling Inventory when spelling after analyzing his data on the recording
sheet. For example, Harold could accurately spell the words “bed” and “ship” from the
Qualitative Spelling Inventory. Harold also has a really good grasp on the “sh” and “ch”
digraph when spelling, and only struggled with the “wh” digraph. TRW categorizes a
consonant as a sound “made by obstructing the flow of air”, and “sh” and “ch” obstruct the
flow of air the beginning and end of words (TRW, 38)

Jamar- When Harold was completing the Qualitative Spelling Inventory, he performed well in
areas like identifying consonant sounds in words. For example, when spelling the word “bed”
the student instead spelt “bad.” The student identified the consonant letter and sound of the
letter “b.” However, did not make the correct connection of inserting the letter “e” to spell
“bed.” Also, the student did a good job on identifying digraphs in words, such as spelling the
words “ship” and “shower” correctly.

2. How can the reader increase knowledge of phonics to identify words?

Allison- The reader can increase knowledge of phonics to identify words by looking at the
vowels. If the “sound is the same as the name of the letter” then it is a long vowel (TRW, pg.
38). The student can differentiate words if they know how to tell long and short vowels apart.
 Lauren- Increasing knowledge of phonics to help students identify words can be done by
teaching to develop a student orthographic knowledge. Orthographic knowledge is “the step on
which all else depends”, and in the case of reading, it would be working on the readers
decoding of words (TRW, 37). Having the skill to decode works helps readers be able to more
accurately identify the words they come across which helps with their comprehension of what
they are reading.

Jamar- A reader can increase their knowledge of phonics to identify words by decoding words
or breaking down words to individual sounds. Students that can do this skill with each word
they encounter will be able to manipulate every consonant and vowel sound with a syllable and
get a somewhat accurate spelling (TRW 38).

3. What are the strengths of this reader’s knowledge of spelling patterns?

Allison- The strengths of Harold’s knowledge of spelling patterns are that he is good at
consonant blends and clusters such as the Fl, Pl, and SP. Harold had a good average, and he
was good at sounding out the words. fl, pl, sp (explain more)

Lauren- When looking for the strength of the reader’s knowledge of spelling patterns, I
looked for the most accurate identification of spelling patterns. When looking at the recording
sheet for the Qualitative Spelling Inventory, Harold almost always accurately applied the
diagraphs and blends when spelling with 71% - 83% accuracy. Orthographic knowledge
involves decoding and encoding, and they go hand in hand with each other. When the reader
can produce the spelling patterns, it translates into them being ready to decode them. (TRW
37-38).

Jamar- When reviewing Harold’s spelling strengths, such as accurate identification of spelling
patterns, he performed very well on spelling words with blends and digraphs. Harold
maintained these digraph and blend skills with above average accuracy.

4. How can the reader increase knowledge of spelling patterns to identify words?
Allison- Harold can increase knowledge of spelling patterns to identify words by using
compound words. “Compounding is the process from which we get compound words such as
seagull and strawberry” (TRW, pg. 40). Compound words all are part of the same “concept” so
Harold will learn more words.

Lauren- Increasing knowledge on spelling patterns will help readers identify words. This can
be done through words sorts or an activity that focuses on a specific change in words that
causes the sound to be shifted. Students can work to find commonalities to the words and see if
they can find the pattern like detectives. This will help students be “more likely to enjoy
learning about words while they are learning correct spelling” (TRW, 39). “Even more
important is the result of this type of exploration” that makes it meaningful while they are
learning (TRW, 39).
Jamar- A reader can increase their knowledge of spelling patterns to identify words by
applying word sorts that focuses on words that either have blends or digraph practices. Another
method a reader can uptake is practicing how to spell different words with respectable spelling
patterns. Students practicing spelling words will provide them with heavy memorization and
will more likely enjoy learning about words (TRW 40).
 Work Cited

Gehsmann, K.M., & Templeton, S. (2022). Teaching reading and writing: The developmental approach.

Hoboken, NJ: Pearson.