This strategy is highly recommended for emerging literacy learners because it:

• supports their development of letter-sound knowledge within a meaningful context
• develops spelling abilities and a sight vocabulary
• supports their active participation through the use of concrete manipulatives.

• peer support is encouraged
• the margin for "error" is reduced by having a controlled set of letters with which to work
• the vocabulary needed for reading engaging books is reinforced.

Making Words²⁷

• Books used for reading aloud to children or for Shared or Guided Reading (choose ones that children especially enjoy, and want to read and reread independently)
• Sets of letters (one set per child) containing all the letters of a word selected from a book of current interest
• A teacher's set of the same letters on larger cards
• A word list for the teacher on a separate card (one with a list of words to be made from the set of letters).

Example of Teacher's Word List for an Initial Making Words Lesson The teacher has selected the base word "moon" from the book Good Night Moon and provided the students each with a set of the four letters, 'm', 'o', 'o', and 'n'. Teacher's sequenced word list: Two letter words - no, on. Three letter words - moo. Four letter words - moon.

Procedures

1. This strategy works best with a small group of children. The group can be composed either of those with similar needs or ones at different stages of letter-sound knowledge development (thus offering opportunities for peers teaching peers). It can also be used as a whole class activity in some cases.
2. Identify an important word from a recent reading experience. This word should have at least four letters. As children gain some experience with the approach and grow in their letter-sound knowledge, gradually increase the length of the base word that you select.
3. Develop a list of smaller words that can be made from the base word starting with one or two letter words and ending with the longest words. Order the words within each category to reflect the spelling patterns that you wish to emphasize. In the previous example, the teacher might wish to draw the children's attention to such things as the following:

   Example of Teacher Implementing the Initial Making Words Lesson Teacher draws attention to: the number of letters in each word ("You need two letters for this word--make the word no.") the order of letters and the way that changing the order changes the word ("You can use the same two letters for this word, but you will have to change the order. Make on. Listen to the first sound--on.") the way that adding one letter to an existing word makes a new word (Make moo. You will need three letters to make moo. Now make moon. You can make it by adding only one letter to moo. Listen. Moon. Can you hear another sound?").

4. Write your sequenced list on an index card for use during instruction.
5. Make each child a small set of the letters you will be using--one letter per card with the upper case version on one side and the lower case version on the other. Organize each set into a separate envelope with the base word on the outside of the envelope.
6. Tell the group of children you are working with that they will be making words using the letter cards. Explain that you have chosen a word from one of the books they have read and that many words can be made from the letters of this word. Tell and show them the base word and the book it comes from.
7. Start with one or two letter words, progressing to the longer words. Tell students the number of letters in the first word. Ask them to hold up that many fingers to show that they know how many letters to use. Write that numeral on the board. Call out the word and ask the children to try and make it with their letters.
8. After each attempt, invite one child to come up and make the word on the blackboard ledge using your set of larger letters. Offer help only as needed. When the word has been made correctly on the chalkboard ledge, have students check their word to see if it is the same and to change theirs if necessary. Write the word under the numeral and continue with the next word on your list moving from shorter to longer words. Each time you begin a set of words with a larger number of letters, tell the children the number of letters they will need, write that numeral on the board, and have them hold up that many fingers.
9. Review the words by asking the children to make them again. This time, giving them a clue--phonic, semantic, or syntactic. For example, using the words made from the letters of "moon", you might ask the children to make a word that means the opposite of "yes" (no); one that could be used in the sentence "Put the letters ___ your desk." (on); a word for a sound that cows make (moo); a word with two "o's" that is the name of something that can be seen in the sky (moon).

Second Example of a Making Words Lesson28 Book: Bingo           Children's Song: The Farmer in the Dell           Base Word: farmer Teacher's Word List: 1-letter word: a 2-letter words: am, me 3-letter words: ram, mar, arm, are, far 4-letter words: farm, fame 5-letter words: frame 6-letter words: farmer Teacher's Comments while Implementing the Lesson: am (Explain that it can be made from first word by adding a letter.) ram (Ask students to make am again. Then say "ram" and tell them they can make it by adding one letter to am.) mar (Explain that this word has the same three letters as ram but in a different order.) arm (Explain that it has the same three letters as ram and mar but in yet another order.) are (Tell students that they only need to change one letter to make this word from arm. After it has been attempted, discuss the silent e at the end.) far (Note that it rhymes with are but has a different spelling pattern. You might say, "This word has the same spelling pattern as car", if car has been an earlier focus of word study in your class.) farm (Tell students that it can be made by adding one letter to far.) fame (Note the silent e spelling pattern and the long a sound.) frame (Explain that it can be made from fame by adding one more letter.) farmer (Ask students to make farm again. Tell them that they can add two letters to make farmer. Note the er ending by comparing it to words such as mother, father, sister, and brother.)

The more regularly that you include center approaches and teach children to use them independently, the more time you will have for individual and small group lessons and conferences.

ABC and Word Study Center

A center for letter and word study would include materials such as:

• Alphabet linking chart (a smaller version of an alphabet chart that links each letter in upper and lower case forms with a picture of something that starts with that letter and the word naming the picture)
• Collection of alphabet books, pictionaries, and individual letter books (including those made by children)
• Boxes of letters for matching, sorting, and making words
• Boxes of frequently used words (see Frequently Used Words chart, page 125 for ideas for words to include)
• Sets of common sight words including children's names, and sets of phrases and sentences using common sight vocabulary for matching activities
• Magnetic letters and magnetic boards
• Felt letters and flannel boards
• Small chalkboards and chalk
• Salt and sand trays for tracing letters with a finger
• Writing materials
• Computer and related software (see suggestions below)
• Alphabet puzzles and simple lotto or memory games.

Suggestions for Computer Software that Supports Graphophonic Development Pre-K-2: Bailey's Book House (Edmark) Pre-K-2: Chicka Chicka Boom Boom (Davidson and Associates Inc.) K-3: Has Anybody Seen My Umbrella? (The National Film Board of Canada) K-3: Easy Book Deluxe (Sunburst Communications) K-3: Kid Works Deluxe (Davidson and Associates Inc.)

Procedures

1. Use the center in conjunction with other language routines and activities during scheduled language arts time or as a choice during structured play or center times.
2. Introduce one or two of the materials in the center during morning group time and demonstrate ways to use them. Spread these demonstrations over several weeks--adding and subtracting materials and activities to meet new needs and maintain interest.
3. Many of the materials in the center are self-explanatory. Activities and strategies, for the use of those that are not, follow. Additional ideas for the use of these materials can be found throughout this resource. Where this is the case, the page numbers where such activities are described are also included.

1. Alphabet Linking Chart. This chart should be in a prominent place in the center for handy reference in all decoding and word-making activities. It can also be used as part of the Read Around the Room (p. 141) strategy and for writing.
2. Collection of Alphabet Books, One-letter Books, and Pictionaries. This collection will serve many purposes including for children's independent reading, reading with a friend or adult volunteer, and as reference materials for independent writing. Children may choose from this collection during a Book Browsing (p. 61) activity as well.
3. Boxes of Letters and Sets of Instruction Cards. In addition to the Making Words (p. 104) strategy for small group instruction, children can work individually or in pairs to do activities like the following.

   Sorting: Find all the letters with circles, find all the letters with tails, find all the tall letters, find all the small letters, find the letters in your name. Ordering: Find all the letters of the alphabet and put them in order by singing the alphabet song to yourself or by looking at the alphabet chart. Matching: Match the upper and lower case letters. Making Words: Make all the words you can from a set of letters (b, a, t, d, n, f), make all the words you know that start with "f", make all the words you know that end with "t", make all the colour words you know, etc.

4. Boxes of Words and Sets of Instruction Cards. Working individually or in pairs, children can do activities like the following.

   Sorting: Find all the words that rhyme with "at", "in", etc. Find all the words that start with "s", "t", "sh", etc. Find all the words that end with "e", "y", etc. Find all the 2-letter words, 3-letter words, etc. Find all the words with double consonants (give an example or two on your instruction card). Find all the words with double vowels (give an example). Matching: Match 2 words that are the same in some way. Tell someone your rule for each pair.

5. Sets of Words and Phrases for Matching.

   This is an important activity to support children's ability to voice-print match29 as it involves moving from left to right and looking at one letter or one word at a time. It also is useful in establishing concepts of letter, word, and visual discrimination abilities. Your word card and phrase card sets can also be used for a quick assessment of these abilities with new students.

   Select high frequency words that children need to learn by sight either because they are high frequency words (as, is, it, if), they contain irregular spellings (there, they), and/or are words that children frequently confuse (what/want). Make sets of 10 matching cards--each set containing two copies of five high frequency words that are similar in some way. Shuffle the cards and bind them with an elastic band. Children are instructed to look carefully at each card and to put pairs together of words that are exactly the same in appearance. Make sets of phrase cards as well using a similar procedure.

   Examples of Sets of Words want/want what/what was/was when/when went/went cat/cat can/can car/car tar/tar tan/tan the/the they/they then/then there/there their/their

   Examples of Sets of Phrases in the house/in the house in the horse/in the horse on the house/on the house on the horse/on the horse house in the town/house in the town by the car/by the car by the can/by the can be the cat/be the cat by the cat/by the cat cat by the car/cat by the car

   As children work on these activities, talk occasionally about the similarities and differences in spelling patterns that students see. Appreciate their efforts--stressing how their abilities to look closely will help them become better readers.