Strategies #2

Date of Strategy Implementation: 3/29/21

Topic/Content Area: Reading

Grade Level/Grouping: 1st Grade/Small Group (4 students)

Strategy Used: Picture Glossary of Word Families

Rationale- How does the strategy connect to the ELs proficiency level; Justification for
using the strategy: Must include a specific (grade level) WIDA standard for your EL.


The students have just finished with words ending in ‘ay’ and
learning how to spell these words. These words have been seen
throughout their reading curriculum in the past few weeks. The two
students who are struggling readers are continuing to have trouble
with this. They can write the first letter sound in a word but cannot
figure out the ending. These words are difficult for them to read
independently. Having the students sort these words into their word
families with pictures to help them read will give them extra practice
recognizing and reading these word endings. I will also be helping two
other students who are struggling in the class. After talking with my
cooperating teacher, we decided that working with all four students
would be beneficial. Learning how to read these words as well as sound
them out correctly is important for these students.

My fictious EL is at level 2 (emerging) for reading. One of the

skills the EL needs further work on is sorting words into word
families. This strategy provides students with visual representation
of words while practicing sorting word families. These welded sounds
are hard for students to sound out while reading or spelling. The
pictures will help students associate the picture with the word.

Step-by-Step Description of Strategy Implementation:

1. Introduce the welded sounds to the students that they will be

sorting. The words and associated pictures will be on one card.
 2. Start with the ‘-ay’ word family.
a. Show the students each word card with the associated
picture. (words: gray, hay, may, play, say, spray)
3. Introduce the ‘-eep’ word family.
a. Show the students the word cards and matching pictures.
(words: beep, creep, deep, keep, sheep, sleep, sweep)
4. Introduce the ‘-ing’ word family.
a. Show the students the words and pictures. (words: fling,
king, ring, sing, spring, sting, swing, wing)
5. Mix the word cards up on the desks. Place word family cards on
each student’s desk (-ay, -eep, -ing).
6. Ask students to separate the words based on their word families.
7. Ask students to read all of the words in each word family.
8. Students will cut the words and pictures to separate them.
9. Now shuffle the pictures and words on the desks.
10. Students will read a word and find the associated picture. Then
they will place the word and picture under the correct word
family.

Results of The Strategy: including how you intended your strategy to benefit your EL:

This strategy was successful and beneficial to the students. I

began this strategy with the 4 students towards the end of the reading
lesson. The rest of the class was working on independent work. Three
of the students were eager to work with me. The fourth student
struggled at first but was willing later on.

I introduced each of the word families to the students and

explained the correlation between each word and picture. I gave each
student sticky notes with the word families on them. They put these at
the top of their desks. I had students put the words and pictures
under the correct word families as I introduced them. I had students
cut the cards to separate the words from the pictures. At this point,
we had to stop to move on in the day. We came back to the strategy at
the end of the day.

I had the students put the word cards on the left side of their
desk and the picture cards on the right. I then asked them to match
the word with the picture then put them under the correct family. I
walked around and would ask students why the put words under certain
families. They each said it was because the end of the word matched. I
had students read a word first, tell me the family, then find the
corresponding picture. One student put the wrong word with the
incorrect picture. I asked him what the picture was ( a sheep) and he
answered a lamb. I told him that he was close, but that it was a
sheep. He realized quickly which word went with the picture and
successfully finished sorting the words into their families. One
student would give me the individual sounds in the word then say a
completely different word. I reminded her of the word families and the
sound of each. This guided her to be able to read the words once she
remembered the ending sound. I gave each student a plastic bag to put
their words and pictures in to take home and practice.

This strategy would have benefitted my fictitious EL. The WIDA

descriptor this strategy focuses on is for reading in the emerging
level. My student needs to learn how to sort words into word families.
This strategy connects words with pictures to help the student read
the word and understand the meaning. The EL would spend more time
using the picture glossary and sorting the words before separating the
words and pictures. I would walk through each word and picture with
the student to familiarize them with the words. I would them have them
practice separating the words into the correct family and reading the
word to me. After they become more familiar with the words and
pictures, I would have them cut the words and pictures apart. Then I
would have them read the word, match the picture, and separate them
into the correct word families. The student can keep their picture
glossary in a folder or container specifically for word family
practice.
*Must Include an Artifact (Student Work Sample, Photographs, Organizer Tools, Etc.)
for Each Implemented Strategy.