Do you have questions about word study at spiralwarmups.com?
You’re not the only one.
Over the last 3 weeks we’ve collected awesome feedback and questions about the free word study warm-ups here at spiralwarmups.com.
This article will give a quick overview of the questions and answers so far. More details questions about word study warm-ups are in the member dashboard.
After registering, you will login and have access to your dashboard.
How much will the word study warm-ups cost?
The word study warm-ups are free. Always.
We began in August 2017 with the first 4-week unit, and we’ve added more units each month.
What’s in the free word study warm-ups?
We’ve included all types of word knowledge in the word study warm-ups.
- Decoding Consonant Blends
- Decoding Affixes
- Decoding Multi-Syllable Words
- Fluency: Decoding Words
- Fluency: High Frequency Words
- Spelling
- Word Study Spiral Review
The word study warm-ups include weeks of warm-ups to be used in a whole class format. They can be spiraled for re-teaching in stations throughout the year.
Will there be Vocabulary Development?
Yes. We are writing the curriculum for academic vocabulary from 2nd-8th grade. It will not be available in the August 1, 2017 start up, but it will be available to use in the 2017-18 school year!
How is the curriculum sequenced?
The spiral warm-ups are sequenced in weekly units, and each focus area (i.e. decoding affixes, spelling, etc) is bundled into a unit of warm-ups. The units are 2-4 weeks long.
We follow much of the same sequencing principles as Fountas & Pinnell, Word Their Way, Istation, CCSS, and the TEKS.
Each day builds on the next. Each week builds on previous learning. It spirals up into more complex skills.
Can I skip around when using the Word Study Warm-Ups?
Yes. The warm-ups are designed in monthly units, but you can target into a specific week of warm-ups if your students need that skills.
It’s at the week level that we recommend moving in sequence from Monday through Thursday? Friday is an optional cumulative spiral review.
Word Study Alignment
What grades levels are the Word Study Warm-Ups for?
The warm-ups span grades 2-8. In the earlier grades, students have access to more fundamental skills such as decoding consonants and vowels. In the middle school levels, students focus on spelling patterns, vocabulary, and fluency.
The word study content is organized to target the developmental needs of early readers, transitional readers, and fluent readers.
At this time, we do not have curriculum content for emergent readers.
Where do the words come from?
The words follow patterns – orthographic, phonemic, and semantic patterns.
The decoding and fluency warm-ups use words from specific decoding patterns such as initial blends, vowel sounds, and syllabication patterns.
The high frequency words are bundled into grade spans with Dolch words in grades 2-3 and Fry words in grades 3-5.
The academic vocabulary words are pulled directly from standards including CCSS and TEKS.
Are the Warm-Ups aligned to Common Core?
Yes. Each course includes an alignment document to verify standards alignment.
Are the Warm-Ups aligned to TEKS and STAAR?
Yes, they are aligned to ELAR TEKS and content TEKS in grades 5-8 for academic vocabulary. Surprisingly, there is quite a bit of overlap between the TEKS and CCSS in regards to word study standards.
More Questions about Word Study?
These were the most commonly asked questions in our initial research. I know you might have other questions about word study.
Like, how to use spiralwarmups.com and how to differentiate. You can watch this video that has 8 Ways to Use Word Study in 8 Minutes.
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