TRY THIS TOMORROW: THE FLIP FOLDER MULTISENSORY WORD STUDY TECHNIQUE
In Richard Gentry and Gene Ouelette’s new book Brain Words- How the Science of Reading Informs Teaching we are introduced to the flip folder technique of word study for grades 2-6. As teachers it is so difficult to navigate the myriad of word study activities crowding the internet, not knowing if any of the ideas presented will be effective. This Look-Say-See-Write-Check-Rewrite multisensory procedure is research based and helps students’ study and learn words.
Gentry and Oulette outline the steps in using this approach as follows:
- Students place a sheet of paper under the flaps and write their word study words in the left-hand column under the Look-Say-See flap. The paper under the other two columns is left blank.
- Have students open the first flap and look and say the first word. The students then close the flap and try to picture it.
- Next the students lift the second flap and write the first word from memory. They then lift the first flap and check the word for correct spelling.
- Lastly, after closing the first two flaps, the students lift the third flap and rewrite the word for additional practice and then they check it again with the first flap.
If you are interested in learning other techniques and procedures that are grounded in research to teach reading and spelling, then you are sure to love Brain Words. You will find many practical classroom activities for daily teaching that you can try tomorrow!