Word Study: Teaching Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling in Grades K-8
Strengthen your word study instruction with evidence-based practices designed to complement every curriculum and support students’ literacy growth across grades K–8.
In this five-day institute designed for teachers, deepen your understanding of the alphabetic linguistic system and learn how to teach for phonological awareness, phonics, word structure, vocabulary, spelling, and word analysis skills in grades K-8.
Register to participate in-person at Lesley University or virtually!
- Classroom Teachers K-8
- Literacy Coaches/Teacher Leaders
- Graduate Credit Participants, please see “Graduate Credit Options” tab for pricing information
- Literacy Collaborative Affiliation Discount available
Join us for this five-day institute designed to deepen your knowledge of essential understandings related to the alphabetic system —no matter what program or curriculum you currently use. In this course, you’ll explore the characteristics of the English language and examine how the learning behaviors grow in complexity over time across grades K-8. You’ll learn how to assess for and plan responsive instruction that goes beyond isolated skill mastery—connecting phonics, vocabulary, and spelling instruction to meaningful literacy learning.
We’ll look at the role of both explicit, systematic teaching and inquiry-based learning, helping students notice how words work and develop their curiosity about language. Through direct, systematic phonics instruction and word study analysis, students expand their knowledge and become effective and efficient when reading and writing increasingly more complex texts.
Course Outcomes
- Understand the relationship between phonics, spelling, and vocabulary, and how students develop competencies over time.
- Demonstrate knowledge of foundational language systems: phonology, morphology, and orthography.
- Assess and expand your knowledge of the nine areas of learning that include: phonological awareness, early literacy concepts, letter knowledge, letter/sound relationships, spelling patterns, high frequency words, word meaning/vocabulary, word structure, and word-solving actions.
- Examine the importance of word consciousness and how to nurture in students an awareness, interest, and curiosity of words.
- Build knowledge of how to provide direct, systematic, and evidence-based instruction and explicit inquiry-based learning that helps all students develop essential understandings of how words work.
- Differentiate word study teaching to address varying strengths and needs and assure the success of multilingual learners and students who may need additional support.
You can take this course for non-credit and earn 35 professional development hours, or you may take it for 3 graduate credits. Those taking the course for graduate level credit will choose a grade level span of either grades K-2 or 3-8 as a focus for credit assignments. Please see the “Graduate Credit Options” tab for more information.
Nikki Drury, Literacy Trainer
Nikki worked as a literacy coach and teacher in public school for many years before joining the Center for Reading Recovery and Literacy Collaborative as an Intermediate Trainer. She has experience as a primary and intermediate classroom teacher and literacy instructional coach at the intermediate level. Over the years, she has worked with students, educators, and administrators to improve literacy outcomes.
Required Texts
You are responsible for purchasing/having access to the following professional texts for this course:
- Rasinski, T., Padak, N., Newton, R.M., & Newton, E. (2008). Greek & Latin roots: Keys to building vocabulary. Shell Education.
- Either version of The Fountas & Pinnell Literacy Continuum:
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2022). The Fountas & Pinnell literacy continuum: A tool for assessment, planning, and teaching, grades prek-8, second edition. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2016). The Fountas & Pinnell literacy continuum: A tool for assessment, planning, and teaching, grades prek-8, expanded edition. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2018). Word matters: Teaching phonics and spelling in the reading/writing classroom. Heinemann.
- Fountas, I.C. & Pinnell, G.S. (2017). The comprehensive phonics, spelling, and word study guide. Heinemann.
Cancellation Deadline & Refund Policies
Non-Credit Participants
You have until one week before the first day of this offering to cancel your registration. The cancellation deadline is Monday, July 28, 2025. There is a $50 cancellation fee. If you request a cancellation after the deadline, you will not be issued a refund. Substitution requests are acceptable. Please email CRRLC@lesley.edu if you have a cancellation or substitution request.
Graduate Credit Participants
Review the university’s cancellation and refund policies for credit bearing courses.
Registration Deadline
The registration portal closes at 5pm ET on August 1, 2025. You will need to have all required texts available for the first day of the training.
Requirements for Participation
After the training, non-credit participants will receive a certificate of attendance for your participation. To receive a complete certificate, participation during the specified times is required. Additional work may be assigned to meet the clock hours.
In-Person or Virtual Attendance
You may choose to attend this training in-person at Lesley University or virtually in real time. Should any of the conditions change and it is determined the training will be offered virtually only, you will be notified as soon as possible. We recommend that you contact us before reserving travel and lodging.
If you choose to attend in-person, the training room will have Lesley University’s HyFlex Classroom Technology to support an engaging learning environment for in-person and virtual participants. If you have questions about in-person or virtual attendance, please email us at CRRLC@lesley.edu.
Graduate Credit Options
With additional assignments, this institute can be taken for 3 graduate credit hours. During the registration process, you will have the option to register as a Graduate Credit attendee and you will only be charged the graduate credit fee listed below.
When your registration is complete, contact CRRLC@lesley.edu to finish the required secondary registration process for grad credits through Lesley University.
Grades K-2 Course Number: EEDUC 6039-30
Grades 3-8 Course Number: EEDUC 6049-34
PRICING:
- $2,700 ($875*/credit + $25*/credit comprehensive fee) *subject to change
On-Site Professional Development
We can deliver this training to your school/district. This option can be delivered virtually or in-person for a group within your school/district. For detailed costs, complete our online form to request this training for your school/district and we will contact you.
Interested in professional learning at your school or district? Schedule a meeting with one of our faculty trainers
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