TAKING WORDS APART Taking words apart is an essential part of reading (and writing) that children must learn

in order to problem solve tricky words. The skills can be taught in isolation; but then, they need to be applied back to the te t!story. "ou will need to initially model in order for students to understand your prompt and then be able to transfer the knowledge and become independent. New research: #t is important to look ahead to see where our students will need to be. $esearch done by %esty &aye found that proficient 'nd grade readers( )*+*$ )*+*$ )*+*$ )*+*$ sounded out letter by letter appealed before attempting stopped and failed to respond skipped a difficult word and read on

,or breaking words in particular, she found that the key concepts are( variety of ways, efficient units, independence, speed, and left to right analysis. -ere are some e amples of how proficient 'nd grade readers solved words in a variety of ways on the run while reading( .multi.syllable units (inter.ested) .syllables (ob., obtained) .morpheme stems or roots (long, longer) .halves of compound words (earth.worm) .onset and rime/ (th.eory) .inflectional endings/ (play, playing) Continuum of help: Teacher constructs part of the word, making it larger in some grand manner (gestures, white board, magnetic letters). Teacher divides the word in print with finger or masking card. The teacher articulates the part(s) clearly (a hearing prompt) and the child locates the part(s). 0rompt to the word beginning (initial letter, onset, cluster) or to the ending (inflection or rime or to any known part) and the child locates the part(s). The child divides the word with his finger on print or uses a card to mask it in some way. 1et the child solve the word.

I PORTANT NOT!S: 2tudents must have 1 to $ in order to teach taking words apart333 4hen teaching the skill in isolation, do it 5)1" with known words333 5nce you pull things out of the book into isolation, ask if the word makes sense (cross.checking)333 5nce you pull things out of the book into isolation, put them %67& into the continuous te t333

The steps to ta"in# wor$s apart: 8) %reaking words letter by letter (pulling over to the left) ') %reaking words letter by letter and saying, 9#f we were going to write this word, we would have to make it letter by letter.: ;o a slow check of it after the word is made. <) 5nce they get this (and you are 8==> sure they are looking and moving 1 to $), call attention to endings (.s and ?ing are easiest to start; .ed is later (more tricky b!c different sounds)). 6fter you build the word, 6146"2 start by asking them 94hat is the first letter in this word@: and then ask if they can 9hear: the last part after you say it. Then, break it. A) 4hen this becomes easy, break one syllable words with no inflection into two parts (onset!rime). B) ;ividing longer words into syllables. -ave students clap the word; then, show them where they would break the chunks. Cse finger or card to cover end and beginning and put back together. D) 7ompound words. 2ame as B, if they work with syllables. Eust show the break. #f not,

.................... F) 2imple 6nalogies go ! no ! so (4hat do you 2** and -*6$ that is the same@ he ! me ! be (same as above; 01C2, can we think of another word we can make by changing the beginning@ come!some 15T2 of other e amples G) -arder analogies she and look ? shook brother and going ? bring