Word Analysis

Article by Megan Goss, 2001

Word analysis refers to the complex set of actions and background knowledge readers must call upon when reading words that aren't sight words for them. The English language is tremendously complex. We have single letters that make more than one sound ('C' in Cat and City), as well as letter combinations that make several sounds ('Ch' in Chocolate, School and Machine). We ask young children to learn all possible letters and letter combinations and match them with the sounds they make, while still trying to understand what is being read! It really is amazing that children successfully tackle such an endeavour at very young ages.

There are many specific activities that have been developed around particular word analysis goals: These range from activities dealing with relatively simple, three letter words, to multi-syllabic words with several affixes. This page will offer general guidelines and helpful places to begin. Be sure to consult our website for monthly updates and suggested activities to deal with specific reading skills.

It is best to make instruction as individualized as possible, so that it is most efficient and effective. Because of this, it is important to pay attention to patterns in your child's reading and/or writing that he/she is having trouble with. Once you've noticed an area of particular trouble for your child, you can offer support and intervention. For example, you may notice that while reading and writing, your daughter has trouble pronouncing and spelling words that begin with wh. She pronounces each letter separately, so that the word 'when' is pronounced 'w-hen'. You can now focus on the wh letter combination, and teach its use in spelling and reading.

Suggestions

Make a list of words with the same characteristics as the one your child is having trouble with. In the 'wh' example from above, you can use words like when, where, why, etc. Have your child create the list with you. Study the words together: read them, discuss them, notice the wh sound in all of them, and contrast them with other words that use just a 'w' to make the same sound (words like with or will). Do this over a period of several days or weeks if necessary. While studying a pattern, you will help your child become familiar with that pattern and others like it. Repeated exposure is an important component of mastery.

As you read together, collect more words like the ones you are studying. In this way, you will call attention to the pattern again in another context.

Keep track of all letter patterns you are working on and even those you've worked on in the past. Keeping them in a notebook is a nice way to review patterns. It is also a great way for your child to see how far he/she has come!

Sometimes students think it is fun to make up fake words with the sound you are studying. This is a wonderful activity, as long as you distinguish the real words from the fake ones. Giving children the freedom to play around with the letters and sounds helps them learn the sounds and allows them to goof off a bit at the same time.

Use letter tiles or refrigerator magnetic letters to form words with the pattern you are working on at that time. You will have to collect the letters and sounds ahead of time. If you want to work on the wh sound, for example, collect these two letters, as well as enough vowels and extra consonants to form words like 'white', 'when' and 'what'. Have the student form these words around the wh. Children love to manipulate objects, so they often like this activity. You can let them create fake words, too, if you feel like doing this.

It is a great idea to follow up any word analysis activity that focuses on reading with a writing/spelling activity. This can reinforce what they've learned, and allows them an opportunity to transfer this knowledge to the writing/spelling domain. You can dictate words you have just worked with, and have your child write them.

Older students will focus on more difficult components of words when you work on word analysis, but the approach is similar. Isolate areas that need to be addressed, then teach them in multiple ways. Older students can be asked to contrast different letter combinations that make the same sound (the 'ee' sound in 'street' and the 'ea' sound in 'beat'). You can also focus on the roots of words and all of the things you add to the roots (called prefixes or suffixes). A root word would be something like 'heat' and a prefix could be added to make it 'preheat'. You can also focus on complex letter combinations (ough), or breaking up long words by locating important chunks in these words.

Continue to collect more patterns to work on for students of all ages and abilities. Go back and review often. Build on old knowledge to extend what you are currently learning. (If you have been working on the 'er' sound, for example, and you realize that your child needs help with words containing 'ir', you can compare the two sounds and contrast when you would use each: her, first etc.). Word analysis is a large category which includes many specific skills, but the overall approach is the same no matter what the ability: Isolate what your child does and doesn't know about the way words are put together, then work on those areas that need more help. Connect what your child is learning to what he/she already knows. Review often and continue to build these important reading and writing skills.

> Previous page