Intermediate B
Word Detectives Intermediate B, is a more sophisticated version of the Intermediate A Program, with an intense focus on the application of concepts about how our language works for decoding and spelling multichunk words. This program places strong emphasis on the use of a spelling conscience, etymology, and knowledge about the English language as supports for decoding and spelling. Teachers routinely mental model the strategies that they use in spelling difficult multichunk words. Students read and write summaries of the nonfiction texts that are part of the program. Moving back and forth between reading and spelling helps students see how their alphabet and word-structure knowledge is connected to both reading and spelling.
What Concepts are Taught?
- Decoding and spelling strategies for high-frequency, sophisticated, multichunk words
- Strategic application of word-solving methods
- Word segmentation (chunking)
- Word analysis (fully analyzing)
- Base words and endings
- Vowel patterns within multichunk words
- Informational text summarization
- Spelling conscience
- Comprehension monitoring
Who can use it?
- Fourth through sixth graders who are reading on level
- Struggling readers who have completed Intermediate A
- Reading Levels: 32 through 6
- Students who are poor spellers
- Students who have difficulty decoding multichunk words
- Students in general or special education
- Students receiving whole-class or small-group instruction
How is it organized?
- The program begins in September and continues every day throughout the school year (a 10-month program).
- Two Phases:
- Phase I reviews the concepts that are basic to all Word Detectives Programs
- Phase II orchestrates the discovery and application of concepts not previously taught or reviewed.
- Thirty-minute lessons, with length of time flexible.
Benchmark Word Detectives is an intervention crafted to work for each struggling student. 