Mindful of Words: Spelling and Vocabulary Explorations, Grades 4-8

This treasured resource for upper-elementary and middle school teachers–now in a revised second edition with a new lesson-planning framework–presents ready-to-use activities to advance students’ spelling and vocabulary knowledge, including academic vocabulary. In a large-size format for easy photocopying, the volume provides over 120 reproducible word sorts, organized by spelling stages, plus additional reproducible forms, word lists, and activities in the appendices. Kathy Ganske’s research-based approach emphasizes cognitive engagement, discussion, and active learning. The book features firsthand tips from experienced teachers, strategies for building morphological awareness, Did You Know? sections with absorbing stories about specific words, discussions of idioms, and literature suggestions. Purchasers get access to a Web page where they can download and print the reproducible appendix materials.

New to This Edition
*Chapter on researcher perspectives–noted scholars translate cutting-edge findings into practical teaching ideas.
*Greatly expanded content on academic vocabulary, including Ganske’s SAIL (survey, analyze, interpret, link) framework for instruction and a reproducible SAIL lesson guide.
*Increased attention to English learners, with two new appendices on Spanish-English vocabulary connections.
*Word sort activities feature updated instructions and many new examples.

See also Ganske’s Word Journeys, Second Edition: Assessment-Guided Phonics, Spelling, and Vocabulary Instruction, which provides a comprehensive framework for assessing and building word knowledge, and Word Sorts and More, Second Edition: Sound, Pattern, and Meaning Explorations K-3, which presents word study activities for the primary grades.