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K-3 Teaching Resources

“Chunk” Spelling

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Chunk Spelling - Differentiated Spelling Instruction

Spelling is one of those things that EVERYONE has an opinion about and very few people agree on.

I think that the best way to learn how to spell is to spend extensive time reading and writing.

I also believe that a weekly word list has very little carryover into written work.

That being said, spelling lists are expected.  So I should make the spelling words as meaningful as possible, right?

Chunk Spelling

With an ideal spelling program, children would:

  • learn strategies that will help them spell or read any word
  • make connections among words in many ways
  • internalize basic spelling patterns
  • be engaged in the process and have an opportunity to exercise choice
  • be challenged at their individual levels
  • master words and spelling patterns that can be generalized to other words.
  • quickly and efficiently transfer spelling words to their writing

But is such an ideal program possible?

Chunk Spelling

I’m not sure if an ideal spelling program is possible, but I think we’ve got something that’s pretty close.

We call it our “chunk” spelling.  I can’t take credit for it–I learned about it at a district workshop 9 or 10 years ago.  (I don’t think the workshop presenters invented this either, but in my research for this post I can’t figure out where it originated.)

When I started teaching, I used the word lists from the basal (each student had the same words with some extra words for the high kids).  After that my team tried variations on Words Their Way spelling lists,  but once we learned about “chunk spelling” we didn’t look back.

The basis for “chunk spelling,” as you might imagine, is the “chunk.”  This is the rime (word family) that we focus on all week.

Students are given a small strip of paper with the week’s rime.  They use a sound board that contains beginning consonants and blends/digraphs.  They place the rime next to each onset on the board and say the word aloud.  If it’s a real word (cop, not dop), they write the word in their notebook.

Chunk Spelling

After listing all the words they can make with the onsets, the students set the sound board and chunk strip aside.  Then they are challenged to think of any “big words” that have the week’s rime.

The “big words” are where the magic happens.

2nd graders are supposed to work with compound words, prefixes, and suffixes.  Chunk spelling gives them a real-life reason to do so.  For -ake we might list baker, bakery, snowflake, mistake, retake, taken, etc.  And when someone suggests “bakeing,” we can have a quick little lesson right then about the e-drop rule.

At this point (after a few weeks of training) they’re working independently.  I don’t correct any errors.  You’ll notice that she has “hab” written as a word (she’s thinking of it as related to habitat) and she’s misspelled laboratory.

After everyone has made some headway with their word lists (the high kids are usually discussing big words, the strugglers are still working through the onsets), I post a large chart paper on the board and we create a class list. The small words (single consonant onset + rime) go in the left column.  The medium words (blend/digraph + rime) goes in the middle.  The last column is for big words.


(My awesome mother makes up a year’s worth of charts for me during the summer.  They all follow this same format.)

As we’re making our class list,  I address misconceptions (like hab) and misspellings (soak can’t go with oke).

I push everybody to think of at least 3 big words, but sometimes they can’t (or won’t) get that far (or everybody thinks of the same 3!).  When that happens, I have a list of word suggestions I can refer to my words if we need to flesh out the list a bit.  Also, if a student suggests a word that isn’t on my list I add it so I’ll have it for next year!


Once our list is in tip-top shape, the kids choose their own spelling words for the week.

They choose 10 words and write it in their spelling notebook (to leave at school).

Then they must show me!

After I’ve checked that the 10 words are spelled correctly, I give them this week’s spelling homework menu and they write the spelling list there.  I check it a 2nd time and then it goes in the homework folder. The last thing you want is a spelling list going home with misspelled words.

I love that the kids get to choose their own words.  In a 2nd grade class you have some kids who will be struggling to spell cat.  And you have some kids who are ready for the challenge of caterpillar.  I would rather challenge kids with a few difficult words than working on a large number of easy words.

The students love the choice, too!  They’re much more willing to attempt big words if it’s something they suggested.  After I get to know which kids are strong spellers, or as the year progresses, I may make the rule that Tommy has to pick only big words or Jill has to have at least 3 big words.  It depends on the child.  It also depends on the class-wide abilities.  A few years, when I’ve had high classes, about mid-year I’ve made the rule that no one can choose from the small word column.  Last year was NOT a year like that, but you know how it goes…!

The kids practice their spelling words in their morning work.  They practice them during Daily 5.  And they work on them for homework.

On Friday, we have spelling tests.  For the first few weeks, regardless of the student’s individual list, I give a class-wide test on the 10 easiest words.  Starting about October, I start to train them how to test each other.

Using my Words Their Way data, I pair students of similar abilities (because they’ve likely chosen words at a similar level of difficulty) for buddy spelling tests.  We’ve already learned how to number our papers to 10.  Now they have to get a clipboard (or book) and choose a place to work.  Partners switch spelling notebooks.  They’re taught that one student is the giver one is the test taker.  After one test is complete it’s turned in to me.  Roles are switched and the second test is given.  As pairs finish, they come get a new chunk strip and start to work on next week’s words.


It takes at least a half-hour (longer at the beginning) to complete the testing, make new individual lists, and make a class list.  It also takes another 15-20 minutes for students to make their own take-home spelling lists.

This takes up a big chunk of our class time on Fridays!  (We don’t do Daily 5 on Fridays for this reason.)

So why do I think this is worth so much class time?  To answer that let me redirect you to that list from the beginning of this post.

With an ideal spelling program, children would:

  • learn strategies that will help them spell or read any word
  • make connections among words in many ways
  • internalize basic spelling patterns
  • be engaged in the process and have an opportunity to exercise choice
  • be challenged at their individual levels
  • master words and spelling patterns that can be generalized to other words.
  • quickly and efficiently transfer spelling words to their writing

All of these goals can be addressed by teaching spelling by analogy with chunk spelling.

Here’s a little video we made quickly for Instagram that shows you how chunk spelling works.

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Chunk Spelling

Why don’t I use Words Their Way for spelling? I get this question often.

You know that I love Words Their Way.  I think it’s very powerful to to look at a student’s strengths and give him or her the support to move to the next level of success.  We included a word sorting component in our Word Play Phonics curriculum.

But in my experience, doing the weekly sorts isn’t enough to develop strategic spellers.

I believe students need both word sorting AND chunk spelling to become strategic spellers.

With WTW, students are refining concepts and rules.  With chunk spelling, they’re practicing word attack strategies.

Children will become more powerful spellers if they are taught that knowing how to spell one word can help them spell many other words.  This analogy idea broadens as students learn more about written language.

Diane Snowball Spelling K-8 Planning and Teaching, p.13

“Chunk” spelling is technically called spelling by analogy, using part you know to figure out what you don’t.

Dorothy P. Hall and Patricia Cunningham use this skill brilliantly in their Making Words activity as well as Rounding up the Rhymes from their Month-by-Month Phonics books.

Spelling by analogy is incredibly powerful for beginning readers and writers.  You can read a study here about the positive effects of explicit onset and rime instruction.  J. Richard Gentry goes so far as to say that spelling by analogy is the fulcrum of beginning reading and writing.

Deciphering the English spelling system and understanding how the printed symbols of the alphabet—namely, letters or chunks of letter combinations and patterns—combine to represent comprehendible, meaningful, pronounceable words and subword parts, are at the fulcrum of beginning reading (and writing). Once this chunking breakthrough is accomplished, the brain can activate circuitry for recognizing words automatically and read with much more proficiency, precision, and independence. (We will see that early independent reading, which is much more dependent on repetition and memorization of easy material, may be an entirely different process and activate different brain circuitry than later skilled independent reading.) It may surprise you that it normally takes some children two years to break the code. (And too many never really break it!).

J. Richard Gentry, Breaking the Code, p. xiv

So chunk spelling deserves some of our class time!

With WTW, students are exploring sounds.  With chunk spelling, they’re building words.

Teaching spelling this way shows students the building blocks that make up words. 

The most useful aspect of knowing about onsets and rimes is that by starting with one word children can work out how to read and spell other words.  The more print words children are familiar with, the better able they are to use analogy—for example, not only will they work out how to read or spell man because they know can, but they can also figure out how to read and spell smack because they know the words smile and back.

Diane Snowball Spelling K-8 Planning and Teaching, p.71

With WTW, students are learning content.  With chunk spelling, they’re learning a strategy. 

When I teach math, I do some lessons where we explore one topic (even and odd, counting coins, etc.).  I also do lessons based entirely on practicing strategies.  The whole class may be doing the same problem, but they’re exploring and discussing different ways to solve that problem.

It’s the same with spelling.  WTW gives them the content (the long a sound can be made with: a_e, ai, ay, eigh).  Weekly chunk spelling helps them build strategies for decoding and writing any unknown word (I hear a long a sound, which spelling pattern should I use? I’ll use -ai because entertain has the same chunk as rain.)

With WTW, words are assigned.  With chunk spelling students choose what they practice.

It’s true that WTW is leveled, but there’s something incredibly powerful about giving students ownership over the words they practice.  They’re more motivated which, in turn, makes them more successful.

WTW can be overwhelming.  Chunk spelling meets beginning spellers where they’re at. 

In a WTW sort there are 20-30 words.  That’s a lot for a 2nd grader to master in a week.  Especially if they don’t know which 10 or 15 they’ll be tested on.

For beginning spellers it’s particularly tricky because many of their sorts are pictures.  They might be sorting long a and short a pictures, but the long a pictures may represent a variety of spelling patterns (cake, rain, play, etc.).  One sort that comes to mind is for beginning short vowel sounds.  Those pictures are Etch-a-Sketch, ostrich, alligator, igloo, umbrella…great sounds to listen for, not great spelling words!

Also, many of the WTW sorts involve vowel sounds with the same pattern, but different spelling.  It seems mean spirited to test students on it after only a week of practice, especially when the WTW assessments don’t come until the end of a “unit” (which is often preceded by a week of a review sort).  When I used WTW sorts for weekly spelling words there was a lot of frustration and confusion.

WTW teaches students why a word is spelled the way it is.  Chunk spelling teaches students what to do with that information.

I don’t think chunk spelling is better than word sorting.

I think kids need the support of both.

chunkspellingheader4

 

Choose your chunks.

For 2nd grade, my team and I picked 35 rimes that we thought were important for 2nd graders to practice.  We started with the simplest, 2-letter chunks (at, op, etc.).  We progressed through 3-letter short vowel, long vowel (silent e), other long vowel patterns (aw, ight), but we ended with some simple ones that provide opportunity for big words (see more info about this in the tips section).

For 1st grade or struggling readers you would probably want to add more short vowel chunks.  

For 3rd grade you can use trickier chunks with  fewer “small” and “medium” words, but a large number of the “big” words.  For example, the word dream is would be on the list for 3rd grade.  But then remember that you can make most nouns plural with an s or es (dreams), verbs will have different tenses (dreaming, dreamed), and adjectives can often be comparatives (dreamy, dreamier, dreamiest).  And then there are all the compound words (daydream, dreamtime, etc.)  It’s important for kids to see how knowing a small word can build into many big words.

Make chunk strips.

We provide chunk strips for 86 different chunks in our Chunk Spelling Bundle, but you can make your own.

Set up a table in a word document with 3 columns and 10 rows.  I like to leave the lines on so I know where to cut. Make sure everything is aligned to the left (so the chunk will line up with the onset on the sound board).  Leave some space on the right so the chunk can be held, but still read.

I printed the chunk strips on different colors of cardstock and stored them in baseball card sleeves in a 3-ring binder.  Slap a label on each pocket and rubber band each set of strips together (the little ponytail rubber bands work perfectly for a set of chunk strips)…you’re set for a few years until you’ve lost too many and need to make a fresh set.

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I used large paper clips to kind of keep each card pocket shut.  It wasn’t perfect, but it did a pretty good job of keeping the cards from sliding out.

Print your soundboards.

I like them in color, but you can print black and white on colored cardstock. Print them double sided with single consonant onsets on one side, and digraphs/blends on the other. 

Decide if you want students to build words individually or as a class.

The way I’ve always done this is to have students make their initial lists individually, as described in this post. But when you run into a chunk that might lead to some explosive words, or if your students don’t seem ready to do this activity on their own, you can do it together as a class.

To build words together as a class, you’ll need to make an onset deck.  Use some index cards.  Write a beginning consonant, blend, or digraph on each card. Remove any offending onsets (ones that will lead to bad words!) and distribute the rest of the cards.  Don’t use the sound boards and work on the list as a whole-class. (“Does anybody have a letter they can put with -ell to make a word?”)

This might also be a good way to do this program with 1st graders who might not be ready to make lists independently. In our Chunk Spelling Bundle we provide all the resources you need to do the activity this way. (Onset deck pictured below. We recently switched this so the picture will be covered up once the chunk is added, just to avoid any confusion.)

Decide how you want to handle word selection.

You can do Chunk Spelling any way you want. Your class can help make the chart every week and then you can choose together the 10 words that the whole class will work on. You can assign 5 specific words and let them choose 5 of their own.

I personally like having them choose their own words for the week, but do what works for you. You can also do as many words as you think is appropriate, but I’ve found 10 to be the right amount for my students.

Also consider if you want to have certain rules like choosing at least 2 big words, or telling certain students to only choose words from the last two columns.

Decide where the students will write their lists.

We make little spelling notebooks where they write their words. They pull them out any time they’re doing an activity in their morning work or Daily 5 that requires them to practice their spelling words for the week.

Decide if you want to send homework.

We created tri-fold spelling menus as part of our Chunk Spelling Bundle. Each week has a bunch of activities to choose from, most of which do not require any help from an adult. We only ask that they do two activities a week, which really should be plenty. We don’t want to drill and kill here. You can also use our old spelling homework tic-tac-toe sheets. 

Decide if you want to make a chart every week or use a pocket chart.

Personally, I like the anchor charts. They’re easy to make up in advance (remember, my awesome mom does this for me in the summer). But you can use a pocket chart too! Our Chunk Spelling Bundle includes everything you need to do the activity on a pocket chart. 

Easy chunks aren’t just for CVC words.

When you’re choosing chunks, consider simple ones, even if your class doesn’t need practice with im, ob, ab, or et word families. There are some fabulous “big words” you can make with those chunks (absolutely, observation, impossible, supermarket). These might be great chunks to do at the end of the year!

Begin with modeling.

Consider starting the year (or whenever you are beginning chunk spelling) with a sample week. I complete the first chart before school starts.  On the first day I discuss the completed chart with the students and they choose their spelling words for the week.  At the end of the first week they help me make the next week’s list.  We do the sound board/list making as a whole class for the first few weeks or until I feel they understand my expectations.

Be thoughtful about the chunks you choose.

And be sure the suggested words are appropriate for your class.  If someone just lost a family member to a drowning, then maybe drown isn’t going to be a word you include on your class’s list this week.

Get your mind IN the gutter.

Think of controversial words ahead of time and decide on a way to handle it or prevent it.  If you’re doing the -orn chunk, I can guarantee some kid will suggest “p-rn.”  And you know -est is almost certain to lead to the word “bre-st.” I had one kid proudly offer the word “v-gina” for -ine .  I just said, “That’s not spelled with an -ine” and quickly went on!  When it comes to prepping for this activity, think dirty because the kids will! If you use the lesson plans in our Chunk Spelling Bundle, we include onsets to watch out for with each chunk. 

Establish ground rules for which words you will allow to go on your chart.

Here are the rules that I used:

  • The word must contain the week’s chunk in the sound that we’re focusing on.  For example, hopeful has op in the middle, however it doesn’t make the short o sound so it can’t be added.
  • The chunk must be in its entirety.  So baking doesn’t make the list even though the root word is bake.
  • No names.  At some point in the year a student will suggest a Pokemon or other character. I don’t know these characters.  I don’t know if they’re appropriate for school.  I also don’t add names of students’ friends and family.  No brothers named “Jayson” for the -ay chunk.  I think it just muddies the water too much.  I do make exceptions for widely known characters like Cinderella.
  • If someone suggests a word no one can define, I don’t add it to the list either.  I’ve found that my 5 second definition isn’t enough for them to internalize it and I have a bunch of low readers adding nab and slab to their lists and not really knowing anything about these words.

Consider using real-life photos to help students build their vocabulary.

Students are bound to generate some words they’ve heard of, but don’t really know the meaning of. If you plan in advance, you can have some photos available to help your students build their vocabulary with these new words. In our Chunk Spelling Bundle we include 4 photos for each chunk.

Consider saving yourself a ton of time with our Ultimate Chunk Spelling Bundle, where we have done all the work for you!

It includes:

  • A teacher’s guide to Chunk Spelling
  • 86 spelling chunks to choose from
  • weekly lesson plan
  • all the materials needed for individual or whole class word building
  • Double sided tri-fold menu style spelling homework that ties directly to the weekly chunk
  • photo support of less-common words (4 pictures per week) for vocabulary building and ELL students

Check out the Ultimate Chunk Spelling Bundle!

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If you like chunk spelling and word sorting, you may be interested in our Word Play Phonics program. We incorporate differentiated word sorting, chunk spelling, word family poetry, phonics games, and weekly whole class lessons into one cohesive program. Click here to get one free week of Word Play Phonics.

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Wow, that’s a ton of information! But we hope it will help you make chunk spelling a meaningful part of your phonics and word study routine. Hit us in the comments if you have questions that we haven’t answered.

Word Play Phonics & Chunk Spelling

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Get one week of comprehensive phonics & spelling instruction and resources FREE for both 1st grade and 2nd grade.

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Comments

  1. Debbie Krueger says

    July 31, 2013 at 3:25 pm

    I am so excited that you have shared this. I’ve been working toward a similar spelling program on my own for a couple of years now and never quite getting there. This is everything I envisioned and you’ve laid it out so clearly. AND with the resources needed to carry it out. A MILLION thanks!!!

  2. Krystal says

    July 31, 2013 at 5:30 pm

    this is FABULOUS! Thanks so much! I love words their way and used it for many years until switching schools… (the resource teacher at my new school doesn’t like it so I’ve been told not to do it). I am looking forward to following some of the tips from this post and trying WTW again with your “chunk” idea. Thanks!!

  3. Jeannie says

    July 31, 2013 at 6:04 pm

    Great post! I love this idea. I think it is beneficial to teach chunks. I’ve never had differentiated spelling lists, so that is something that I’m definitely considering trying. Do you have a word wall in your classroom? If so, how do you select the words?
    Jeannie
    The 2nd Grade Surprise

  4. Michelle Neddo says

    July 31, 2013 at 6:21 pm

    WOW! Thank you so much for sharing all of this information and these printables for free! I recently returned to work as a literacy teacher and I can’t wait to use these with my students. Thank you again so much!

  5. Kate says

    July 31, 2013 at 6:31 pm

    Another amazing post!! Thank you SO much for taking the time to share about your spelling program! I started using WTW last year and while I love seeing the difference it made (when compared to a traditional spelling program), now you’ve got me thinking about something new! Thank you for sharing all of your resources. You are so generous! Now I have a lot of thinking to do!! 🙂

  6. Denise says

    July 31, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    I’ve been leaning towards this type of spelling instruction. I’m still rolling ideas around in my head so this was extremely helpful. Thanks so much for taking the time to post all of this!

  7. Traci Porter says

    July 31, 2013 at 7:51 pm

    We’ve been doing WTW for a few years now, and I’m not too happy with it for similar reasons stated in your post. Thanks so much for sharing what you do. One question – do you make sure “oddball” words are taught as well?

  8. Traci Porter says

    July 31, 2013 at 8:18 pm

    Never mind – I just read more on your site about WTW and now understand that you do both chunk spelling and WTW. You just don’t test WTW. Is that correct?

  9. Lisa Mattes says

    July 31, 2013 at 8:49 pm

    Wowee Kazowee! Thanks for the amazingly thorough and helpful post! We alternate weeks in our spelling…A Weeks focus on five high frequency words, B Weeks focus on two specific chunks with the quiz words being words using those chunks (but not necessarily from the list of five words they studied since we’re looking at application of those chunks across words…) Ever since we’ve done that we’ve noticed a huge difference in our spellers!

  12. Heidi says

    July 31, 2013 at 9:52 pm

    I do have a word wall. The words mostly came from the Month-by-Month Phonics book I mentioned. I chose a lot of those same words for the Morning Work Book.

  16. Heidi says

    July 31, 2013 at 9:55 pm

    Do you mean the “oddball” words like WTW sorts? Like heart has the -ear pattern, but doesn’t make that sound? Or do you mean sight words like through? We might talk about unusually spelled oddballs when we make our class spelling lists, but I don’t include them in our list. I usually save oddballs for their weekly WTW sorts.

  17. Heidi says

    July 31, 2013 at 9:57 pm

    I don’t test WTW weekly. I give the spelling inventory (the big long test) 3-4 times a year. In the individual sort books for WTW they have assessments at the end of each unit. Depending on the sort and the group I sometimes give those and I sometimes don’t.

  19. Lindalouhoo says

    August 1, 2013 at 7:11 am

    Thank you so much for sharing, in excellent, easy-to-follow detail, this chunking program. You have worked countless hours on it and it shows – very well done!! I am intrigued and have downloaded and printed all of it. I am strongly considering trying it. Two questions: where did you find the student spelling list booklets, and, what size is ht chart paper you used (the size of the line spacing)?

  20. Anne says

    August 1, 2013 at 4:40 pm

    I absolutely love this idea for spelling! Last year, my school’s basal reading text book included spelling words that did not meet my students’ needs…This is just what I need! Can you tell me how you teach the 2nd grade Dolch words if you don’t include them as a part of spelling instruction?

  21. Heidi says

    August 1, 2013 at 10:42 pm

    Sorry I’m not going to be much help with your questions! The spelling booklets are ones we get from the district. It’s just a third of an 8/12 by 11 page with 10 lines.
    I don’t know about the chart paper either. It’s just what’s in the work room.

  22. Heidi says

    August 1, 2013 at 10:44 pm

    I don’t do a ton with sight words. We have a class word wall that we discuss on Mondays when we get the week’s new words. They practice their words in their morning work. I have lists of sight words that they practice during Daily 5 (I don’t have the lists here or I’d share them with you).

  23. Phong Normand says

    August 2, 2013 at 4:45 am

    This is perfect! I agree with you 100%. I loath weekly spelling tests and lucky for me, it is not a school requirement. I have been doing my own thing when it comes to spelling and chunk spelling makes total sense! Thank you for sharing!!

  25. Amanda says

    August 2, 2013 at 12:46 pm

    Thank you so much for you work in creating/writing and sharing this post. I’m so excited to try this with my kiddos this year!

  26. christina says

    August 2, 2013 at 1:08 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing your system and all those resources – fabulous! I’ve been struggling to find a spelling system that fits my class and this may be it. Thanks so much for your generosity 🙂

  32. Rachel says

    August 5, 2013 at 2:07 pm

    I LOVE this! We do something similar, but am very interested in your way. I teach first grade. Would you or someone you work with be willing to share your first grade 35 week list? Also, how do the first graders “test”? Do they do the partner testing too?
    Thank you for sharing this!

  33. Rachel says

    August 6, 2013 at 5:51 am

    I am very interested in learning more about this! I teach first grade. Would you or someone you work with share your first grade spelling chunks? Also, do the first graders test each other like you have the second graders do? Thank you for sharing this!

  34. Heidi says

    August 6, 2013 at 6:41 pm

    I think the first grade teachers at my school use the basal spelling words. I bet you could tweak this for 1st grade pretty easily, though.

  35. Heather says

    August 12, 2013 at 5:14 am

    I love your ideas and I am trying to get my head around how to incorporate it in a grade 2.3 class. Any suggestions?

  36. Heidi says

    August 12, 2013 at 10:58 am

    Well, the point of giving the students choice over their words is that it automatically differentiates. If you have 3rd graders, just make sure a lot of your “big word” focus involves prefixes and suffixes.

  37. Heather says

    August 12, 2013 at 11:14 am

    Thank you so much for sharing. I’ve taught first grade for many years and have never found a program that I was completely comfortable with. I’m going to give it a go:) p.s. Love your blog!

  38. Carrie says

    August 25, 2013 at 2:55 pm

    Thank you!! I have a class of English Learners this year, and after two weeks, I know our district’s spelling plan isn’t going to work with them. I’m definitely going to share this with my grade level!!

  39. Kacey B says

    August 29, 2013 at 10:33 pm

    Thank you so very much. I’m teaching at a school in Tanzania and we are under-resourced! I’ve been struggling to settle on a system for my spelling lessons with 1st and 2nd graders. This is extremely helpful!

  41. Mary Chambers says

    September 20, 2013 at 10:39 pm

    I love your site! Thank you for sharing your ideas! I can’t wait to get started with this. But I have a few questions if you will indulge me. Since you do Chunk Spelling during Daily 5, when do you use the WTW? Also, do you have that wonderful list of words you keep when kids can’t come up with any other word (and would you be willing to share)? Thanks again for everything.

  42. Heidi says

    September 21, 2013 at 10:43 am

    I introduce each group’s new sort on Fridays as well as doing the chunk spelling. During the week, when the go to the Work on Words station for Daily 5, they must sort their words before choosing an activity.
    The list of words is linked in the blog post as “Word Family suggestions”

  43. Debra says

    September 22, 2013 at 12:51 pm

    Thank you so much for providing all the materials for chunk spelling. You are truly a team player! I have used individualized spelling for many, many years. A few years ago I starting using WTW and like it a lot, but also found it difficult to integrate into my weekly spelling. (Some day I will just get rid of those weekly lists. Yuk!) I have read a lot about spelling and ran across chunk spelling…and then found your blog. Awesome. Can’t wait to try it.

  44. Liz Morales says

    September 22, 2013 at 11:53 pm

    Wow! This is one of the best blog posts on spelling I have encountered. Thank you for sharing the resources you use. (I found your blog after discovering your first grade morning workbook which I am using in my classroom.) Have you ever used chunk spelling with first grade? What might be some adjustments I may have to make with them?
    Thanks Liz

  46. Anne says

    October 5, 2013 at 1:04 pm

    Hi, I just found is post through Pinterest. It sounds like a great way to tackle spelling, phonics, and reading all together. After all, you need all three to be fluent. I have a broad question about how you asses your students. Say for example you are requiring your high students to choose only words in column three, but you have other students who still struggle with columns one and two. If a high student gets 9 of 10 correct, and a struggling student with a simpler list gets 10 of 10 correct, how is that reflected in their grades? Is there some designation of difficulty?

  47. Heidi says

    October 5, 2013 at 3:08 pm

    Our district gives E, S, N, U grades. A student working on a higher level would receive an E for excellent (as in, above-grade-level) a student working on easier words (at grade-level) would receive an S for satisfactory.

  48. Barbara says

    October 9, 2013 at 10:02 pm

    This is wonderful!! I am looking forward to using this. Thanks for sharing!
    Barbara
    happyteachingfirst.blogspot.com

  49. mallory says

    October 14, 2013 at 3:04 pm

    This is such an amazing find! What a great way to start back from fall break! My kiddos were having a great day and this just made it better! I can’t wait till spelling tests on Friday to see how well it works. My kiddos couldn’t believe they could pick their words- and they didn’t go easy on themselves- some of them have some studying to do! Love the resources! I can’t believe it was all spelled out so well and FREE! What a find! Thanks for all the resources you create for fellow teachers! Hope you are having a great year!

  51. Heidi says

    October 14, 2013 at 5:51 pm

    What a lovely comment–thanks Mallory! It’s great to hear about your success. Let us know how the spelling test goes!

  52. Shar W says

    November 3, 2013 at 6:54 pm

    AWESOME POST!!! I wish I would have seen this before the school year started. I am a special education teacher, and I do a variety of spelling words that fall under these chunks/word families- our team has their lists for the year, and I go through the words from the lists each week and choose for my crew. I have not given my students the chance to choose their own words, but I just might try this to see how it goes 🙂 I can work around your list, since we have already covered some of the chunks, and see how we do. I have already printed out your resources, so now I just have to make up some charts like the ones your angel (aka mom) made up for you.
    Thank you again!!!
    Shar W

  53. Paula says

    November 14, 2013 at 10:10 pm

    I just stumbled across this post after purchasing some of your items on tpt. I am so excited to try it. Thanks for your explicit directions!

  54. Judy McKenzie says

    February 23, 2014 at 10:32 am

    Hi, this article has helped to crystalise my thinking about my spelling programme. I’m wondering what your students meet for a spelling programme as they move on from your class and up through the grades? What do the teachers do in their programmes further up the school?
    Thanks
    Judy

  55. Sherri says

    March 11, 2014 at 1:29 am

    I completed our WTW assessments after a BRIEF training about 4 weeks ago and have been stumped since. I haven’t had time to read through the book and even though I’m a good skimmer…oi! I am still stuck, but this really made me want to go in this direction. Question is….do you still use WTW for morning work and then the chunk spelling for the actual spelling words? I’m just confused on how to get started with the WTW data if you don’t use the WTW sorts-or are they similar patterns in the chunk? Sorry -so many questions. We are just switching from a big mess, to Wonders next year, which is based in WTW but I think Chunking will work. Thanks for your blog, it is so insightful!

  57. bassesd@mukilteo.wednet.edu says

    May 27, 2014 at 6:59 am

    Hi:
    How would you adapt the chunk spelling for 1st grade?
    Thanks much.
    Sandy

  58. Denise says

    May 28, 2014 at 10:00 am

    Wow! Thank you for this post. So many useful ideas. A big thank you for sharing your resources. I’m off to visit your TPT store!

  59. Diane Strickland says

    June 17, 2014 at 6:46 am

    I know this post is a year old, but I just found it. First I want to say, “WOW, WOW, WOW!” and “THANKS!!!” for all the details and free resources. This is fabulous!
    I just read _The Decoding Solution: Rime Magic_ by S. Zinke. I started looking for resources related to “rime” spelling and stumbled across this blog. I teach second grade too. I’ve done the basal spelling program and _Month by Month Phonics_ but never _Words Their Way_. I’m thinking I’ll use chunk spelling as described above and MxM for next year. Thanks again–so helpful!

  60. Rebecca says

    June 25, 2014 at 4:38 am

    Thank you so much!
    My son is a proficent reader but hates writing and I believe most of the problem is due to confidence with spelling.
    We have been using some WTW picture word sorts at home but the mixed groups (ai,ay etc) cause lots of frustration.
    I think your chunk spelling program is something I can confidently use at home to help support his classroom learning.
    I’ll let you know how we go:)

  61. ehansen@nwood-kensett.k12.ia.us says

    June 25, 2014 at 7:15 pm

    This is just what I needed teaching 1st grade for the first time!

  62. Laurie Bunn says

    June 27, 2014 at 11:28 pm

    Chunk spelling is very similar to reading recovery strategies… Thank you for posting this…. Maybe more people will understand the importance of teaching onset and rimes and following the child.

  63. Katie says

    July 2, 2014 at 11:46 am

    I’m in love with this! My district wants us to use WTW but I don’t love it for the reasons you mentioned above. I teach third grade, which is more advanced than the chunks you have listed above, do you have a list of chunks I should use with my age kiddos?
    Thanks!!

  64. Heather says

    July 15, 2014 at 12:36 pm

    I found your post when I was looking for help with Words Their Way, and I can’t wait to include chunk spelling with it as well. Your posts are so very explicit and full of information that I keep having to come back and reread to catch everything. One thing I don’t see is how the kids’ spelling notebooks are set up. Do you have a post on that somewhere?

  65. emily kate says

    July 15, 2014 at 2:05 pm

    Hi Heather! Those notebooks were provided to us from our district. It’s just 1/3rd of a horizontal 8.5×11 page with 10 spaces for words. Other people have asked about it so we’re going to try and put one together soon, if we can find a spare moment!

  66. Heather says

    July 16, 2014 at 5:47 pm

    Hi Emily! I was referring to the ones in the upper pictures, that appear to be regular sized notebooks. Where they write the real words from the sound boards? Do they have two notebooks, one for work and one that is just for spelling lists?

  67. emily kate says

    July 16, 2014 at 5:57 pm

    Oh those! Yes, they are just spiral notebooks and we have them draw a quick two lines to roughly make it into 3rds. Doesnt matter much if its sloppy, its just to give them a reference that looks like the one on the chart paper. They dont refer to it again after choosing words so it doesnt matter much.

  68. Susan says

    July 17, 2014 at 2:11 pm

    Thank you for taking the time to share your information and knowledge. I am an experienced teacher (23 years), but am moving to 2nd grade this year after 13 years in Kindergarten. Your WTW and Chunk Spelling posts have been great to help me process how I want to do them this year. Thank you again!!

  69. Deona says

    July 19, 2014 at 7:54 am

    Thank you for all your work. I get to teach grade two this year after 6 years in the third grade. I love this combination of Chunk Spelling and Words Their Way for your word work program. I am excited to give it a try this year. Thank you for giving out some many of your templates.

  70. Roxane Daniel says

    July 20, 2014 at 2:16 pm

    Wow! I was so excited to read this! It is everything I am looking for. I am coming back to elementary after teaching 6th grade math for 3 years and I am just lost as to how to differentiate spelling though I know it needs to happen! I taught 3rd for one year before moving up, and I can tell you the weekly spelling without any accounting for where students actually are didn’t work! I just didn’t know how to fix it…too overwhelmed as a first year teacher.
    So, I really hope you are still reading these comments a year later, because I have a question. When students take their personal spelling tests, what do you do about the words they miss? Let’s say they miss 3, do they add them to next week’s words and only choose 7 of the new ones?
    Again, wow! Thank you.

  71. Heidi says

    July 20, 2014 at 4:20 pm

    Hi Roxane!
    You could certainly have your students continuing to practice missed words. If you have a way to manage it, it would definitely be helpful. I found, though, that if students are choosing words at the correct level of difficulty (advanced kids choosing harder words, struggling kids choosing easier words), they don’t miss that many.

  72. Anna says

    July 31, 2014 at 7:05 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing your ideas and resources! I’m wondering if you have any tips on how you explain your spelling program and WTW to parents? Do you have students practice their spelling words for homework each night? If so, do you have any suggested activities?

  73. Katie Gill says

    August 4, 2014 at 8:30 pm

    When students with similar lists are giving each other tests isn’t it an advantage for the person who gives it first because they are seeing the words right before testing? Has that ever been a problem?

  74. Heidi says

    August 4, 2014 at 11:53 pm

    We have some spelling tic-tac-toe homework sheets in our Teachers pay Teachers store that you can download for free.

  76. Vero says

    August 15, 2014 at 9:00 am

    I am a second year first grade teacher and I’ve been reading all summer long in hopes of becoming a more effective teacher. I plan on starting Daily 5 and WTW this year and possibly CAFE (I say possibly because I almost feel like I am trying too many new things at once). Anyway, because we are a small school, unfortunately I don’t have a team of 1st grade teachers to collaborate or bounce off ideas with; would it be possible for me to obtain the suggested spelling chunk/word family list for first grade at your school? I would love to eventually incorporate this method of teaching spelling too. Also, thank you for your thoroughness and willingness to share your teaching methods and resources-your blog is certainly a breath of fresh air to a novus teacher like myself!

  77. Kat says

    August 16, 2014 at 10:05 am

    I love this idea! What activities do students do with their chunk spelling words during the Daily 5? And do they do something different with their high frequency words that you have them practice with?
    Also, would you have students do their WTW sort first and then their chunk spelling activities during the Work on Words center?
    Thanks

  80. Jamie says

    August 21, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    This is so great, thank you for sharing this! I am looking to implement BOTH your WTW plans and the chunk spelling words into this new year!

  81. april says

    August 24, 2014 at 2:18 pm

    I tried to download the 3rd word idea list and it pulled up with no words. It was black lines. Did I do something wrong.

  82. MrsAllen says

    August 24, 2014 at 10:01 pm

    As a first year teacher with a class with wide range of ability, I adore this post. My principal suggested WTW to me last year during my interim, but let me know up front that it takes a lot of prep. Until we get a WTW program school wide, I have this amazing resource that you shared to mesh everything together. Thank you so much!

  84. Bridget Flynn says

    September 2, 2014 at 8:36 pm

    I’m desperate to do this in fourth grade, but I’m not having a lot of luck finding lists of word families appropriate to 4th. Suggestions?!?

  85. Marie says

    September 7, 2014 at 7:51 am

    I love this!!! The only thing I’m having trouble coming up with is the multisyllabic words to go along with the chunks. Is there a list you go off of or get your ideas from??

  87. Anne says

    September 29, 2014 at 7:57 pm

    I love this idea for spelling! I am wondering if you have a letter explaining “chunk” spelling to parents and why this is a much better way to teach spelling than giving the traditional spelling list.

  89. Krysten says

    October 11, 2014 at 8:05 am

    Thanks so much for sharing this! I’ve been looking for a spelling “program” to use with my 5th graders who struggle with spelling and need the basic patterns. My district uses WTW, but it’s not working for my two students; they need the explicit teaching!

  90. Carmen Tuesta says

    October 19, 2014 at 5:27 pm

    Heidi,
    you said your students practice their spelling words during daily 5. What kind of activities do you have your students do during daily 5?
    thanks.

  92. Lori Stone says

    February 4, 2015 at 5:32 pm

    This is EXACTLY what I have been looking for!! I teach a life skills elementary class, 3rd-5th grade, with multiple disabilities and varying levels. Some of my students are at the beginning writing stage and I have been looking for an everything in one spot kinds lesson…and you made that!!! Making individual reading and math lessons for 7 students takes so much of my time and you just made this part of my planning that much easier!! Thanks so much for all of your hard work!!

  93. Karla says

    February 16, 2015 at 3:59 am

    Wow–this is amazing–the info and all you shared. I am a 18 year teacher of 6th and 5th who opted for first to finish my career. I’m seeing what a challenge it is to teach our language to 6-7 year olds. This is wonderful. Thank you times 100.

  94. Jenna Stuckert says

    June 25, 2015 at 1:01 pm

    I sincerely thank whoever pinned this on Pinterest today to lead me to your post. I have such a hard time with spelling in my classroom because I really disagree with using the same list of 15 words for every single child. After they have are tested on it, the next week the entire list is forgotten. I love the idea of Chunk Spelling! I have an ESL classroom and spelling, reading, and writing are all so difficult for my kids. I really think this will make a huge difference with my kids and I cannot wait to use it next year!
    I’m already using your morning work packet and homework packet so why not add some more second story window to my life! Thanks again!!

  95. Lesley says

    June 29, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    This is great! Can I use this idea with 4th graders? Do you have or know of 4th grade word chunking lists? Thanks

  96. Heidi says

    June 30, 2015 at 12:10 pm

    I don’t know of any 4th graders who use this, but I don’t know why it wouldn’t work. The main problem is that there are only so many chunks in English that will give a list with enough usable words. I’d look through the lists for the other grade levels and choose the chunks with “big words” that you think would most benefit your 4th graders.

  97. Stefanie says

    July 23, 2015 at 8:24 pm

    Great idea, but do you have a parent letter explaining this type of spelling?? I know I would have some parents questioning the reason behind this type of spelling than using the Basel or WTW.

  99. Amy says

    August 20, 2015 at 2:05 pm

    Hello! SO glad I came across this. I am new to Grade 2/3, moving up from PreK so am searching for successful programs. Two questions:
    1) Which WTW spelling test do you do 3-4 times a year?
    2) Do you give students both sound boards or you/they pick which one to create words with?
    Thanks

  100. Heidi says

    August 21, 2015 at 9:19 am

    I copy the sound board with the beginning consonants on one side and blends on the other. Students know to start with the single consonant side. After they’ve made that “small word” list, they flip the board over and work on “medium” words.
    I give my 2nd graders the Primary Spelling Inventory. With a split class, you may find it more helpful to give the other version. We have more information about Words Their Way here: https://www.secondstorywindow.net/home/2014/06/a-teachers-guide-to-words-their-way.html

  102. Karen F. says

    September 13, 2015 at 3:07 pm

    I love the idea of this!! We dont use WTW in my district. Do you think this would be fine to use by itself?
    Thanks
    Karen

  104. Amy says

    September 14, 2015 at 7:34 pm

    Thank you for all the time you put into making all of this. I so appreciate it. We are going to try chunk spelling this year.

  106. Deborah Schulzt says

    October 21, 2015 at 6:51 pm

    Makes me want to leave retirement and go back to teaching. This would have been so wonderful for the middle school special ed kids I taught for 15 years. They were all over the map in terms of ability, understanding etc. and this would have been even helpful when writing LA IEP goals.

  107. Mary Moss says

    November 2, 2015 at 2:36 am

    Thank you so much for referring me to this post (from Teachers Pay Teachers). Since last week I’ve read everything that I can find that you’ve written on chunk spelling. I’ve given my tests to my second graders (PSI) and scored them. I’ve laminated the sound boards and the word chunks. Today I introduced the first chunk (op) and my class loved it. I was thrilled with their excitement over the big words – they came up with property, operation, helicopter, opposite – not bad considering English is their second language. Another second grade teacher saw what my kids did and she’s starting the “chunk” approach next week. If there are any games that you sell that go along with the word chunks, I’d be a very willing buyer! Thank you again!

  108. Kelli says

    November 9, 2015 at 6:13 pm

    Bless you for making this available! I’m a first year teacher and these kinds of free resources are so helpful. My budget doesn’t go far on TPT.

  109. Tayla says

    January 31, 2016 at 1:55 am

    This is fantastic thank you for including all the resources. Do you allow students to choose any spelling words regardless of their ability. For example if they struggle with spelling but they want to choose all the harder words?

  110. Heidi says

    January 31, 2016 at 10:41 am

    I do let them choose the words they want. The kids who struggle learn really quickly which words are best for them but I don’t have to be the police telling them they’re not capable of doing something. I don’t want to limit them. Maybe they’ll ride to the challenge. Maybe they’ll be more selective next time. Maybe they’re really proud to have contributed a word for the “big word” list and want to own that word by choosing it. I leave it up to them. The exception I make is with gifted spellers. If I notice bright kids only choosing easy words I have a chat with them. At the beginning of the year I may say they have to choose at least one big word. Or I may bump it to 3 big words. Usually by the end of the year they gave to choose at least half big words. I don’t want to punish them by making them do all 10 from the list unless that’s something they choose themselves. For my average kids, I usually tell them about halfway through the year that they can’t choose from the easy list anymore or can only pick one or two from that list. I do this one-on-one, though, because I don’t want to shame anybody who still needs the simple words. If I’ve got a bright bunch of kids, halfway through the year I make the rule that no one can choose from the easy list, but that isn’t something that works every year.

  111. Celia Whitler says

    May 25, 2016 at 9:16 pm

    New second grade teacher in the fall…after 25 years…I’m back and looking forward to it! This is amazing! I am a bit overwhelmed with all of it!! I taught 6,5and 3rd and have been away from teaching ….so this idea is wonderful! Can’t wait to read other blogs and look around your site! Thanks soooo much!
    ❤️
    Celia

  112. Melissa Thibodeaux says

    June 4, 2016 at 7:22 pm

    I have given a spelling pretest on Mondays and challenge words to those who got most correct, but the third grade teachers keep saying the kids can’t spell. So I bought the WTW book and I am going to try your spelling program…Thank you so much for all the free downloads!!! I think this will definitely work, and I am supposed to have a very small class this year (23 this past year, 13 for the next year!) so it will be a great time to try. We are also switching from the Basal to Guided Reading…I have studied The Daily Five and am totally revamping everything…in my 36th year of teaching!!! Thank you so much!!! 🙂 Melissa Thibodeaux

  113. Joanna says

    June 21, 2016 at 12:14 pm

    I know this is a fairly old post, so I hope you’ll see my post. 🙂
    My school is looking to revamp our spelling program. We currently use Harcourt Trophies and just aren’t seeing good results. Would chunk spelling work of K, 4, and 5? I’ve never taught lower than 3rd, so I don’t know if K even does spelling as its own subject or if it’s more about phonics in general. Thanks!

  114. Andrea says

    July 27, 2016 at 9:52 pm

    Is there a different place to download the chunk strips? I can’t seem to find them on here! Thanks!

  115. Kelly says

    July 29, 2016 at 10:30 am

    The link for the 2nd grade chunks list is missing. I’m keen to see what chunks you teach in 2nd grade! Could you restore it?

  116. Grace says

    August 1, 2016 at 12:36 am

    How soon will the new and improved version of Chunk Spelling be released? I am really excited to use this for my K-2 multiage class and am trying to get materials prepped as soon as possible for the school year. Thank you so much!