Strategies for Learning Words

In discussion one, I selected A House That Once Was by Julie Fogliano. I used this text to
teach this standard; CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RF.3.4.a: Read grade-level text with purpose and
understanding. I will use three different games to support the text and standard. First, I use word
sketches. This game is best played by four or five players (Rasinski & Padak, 2013). However, I
will still play this game with Angela because it will be effective in helping her learn words used
in the text. I will write words on slips of paper and put them in a container. I will then pick each
slip, sketch it on a paper and give Angela a chance to guess the word correctly. One of the hints
will be that the word appears in the text that we will have read. I will have ten words in the
container, and she will have won after having guessed seven sketches correctly. Also, she will
have only forty-five seconds to guess the word correctly. Some of the words include book,
frame, toys and shoes. The game supports the standard in the sense that it will help Angela
understand the text and the purpose of the author as well.
Another game that I will be using is scattergories. I will provide Angela with a sheet of
paper. Along the top row, there will be about three word patterns to brainstorm. These will
include derivational patterns and rimes. On the downside of the column, I will provide Angela
with a set of consonants and constant blends. I will then give the student five minutes to think of
words that begin with each blend or constant. The word provided must contain the patterns
provided at the top row of the sheet. One of the hints that I will provide is that all the words that
will fit in the sheet will have been encountered during. All those words will be present in the
text, A House That Once Was. The game will help Angela think of words that are in the text, and
contain the word patterns targeted in the sheet. She may consider first listing words that she

thinks could fit in the sheet, and then eliminate the list depending on words that are used in the
text. After five minutes, I will help the student go through the list and award points for words
correctly identified.
The third game is Make Words with Cubes. The game will entail using letter
combinations or letters and writing them on each side of the cube (Rasinski & Padak, 2013). I
will write the letters and then place the cubes on the table. I will also provide Angela with a sheet
of paper with columns that contain a specific number of letters. For instance, a column will have
four letters at the top, and Angela will write words containing that number of letters in that
column. I will have a timer set for ten minutes. Then I will challenge the student to make as
many words as possible, using the letters and letter combinations on each side of the cubes. She
will be recording the words by length as she continues to make them. The target will be to make
ten words within the given period. One of the rules is that all the words made must have
appeared in the text that we previously read. The aim will be to test Angela’s understanding of
the text by seeing if she can recall words used by the author. After the time has expired, I will
assist Angela in checking the words she filled in the sheet. For every word correctly identified,
she will get two points. She will have won after scoring sixteen points. In case she has failed to
identify some words, I will assist her in coming up with the words. I will do so by showing her
the sentence in the text containing the possible word. She will then make a guess based on the
list of words contained in the sentence. I think that this game teaches word patterns, and also
helps a teacher gauge whether a student has understood the text.

References

Rasinski, T. & Padak, N.D. (2013). From phonics to fluency: Effective teaching of decoding and
reading fluency in the elementary school. NJ: Pearson.