MORPHOLOGY
ENHANCES LITERACY DEVELOPMENT
Morphology uses roots, prefixes and suffixes.
Prefixes, suffixes and roots are Latin, Greek and Anglo-Saxon in origin. Morphology is actually the study of how words are constructed from morphemes.
WHAT IS A MORPHEME?
A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning in words. Therefore, prefixes, suffixes and root words are all morphemes.
HOW TO BUILD STRONG VOCABULARY AND THEREFORE DEVELOP STRONG READING SKILLS
With respect to students with dyslexia, Deacon, Parrila & Kirby (2008) analyzed the pertinent literature base and concluded, "Morphology may provide a compensatory avenue of instruction for dyslexics and poor readers, and may be the means by which some individuals have overcome dyslexia". In order for students to expand their vocabulary, it is necessary they understanding that words are connected by meanings, as well as spellings. Vocabulary development and decoding are essential for developing strong reading skills. Therefore, morphology is a significant element of a rich vocabulary development, as well as accurate decoding skills.
FOUR PRINCIPLES FOR TEACHING MORPHOLOGY
- Teach morphology in context of rich, explicit vocabulary instruction
- Teach students to use morphology as a cognitive strategy with explicit steps
- Teach the underlying morphological knowledge needed in two ways - both explicitly and in context.
- Teach morphology in relation to cognates for students who speak Spanish.
- (Kieffer & Lesaux, 2007)
TIPS FOR TEACHING MORPHOLOGY
TIP #1 HANDS ON GAMES USING PREFIXES, SUFFIXES AND ROOTS
The intentional selection and instruction of Latin-Greek roots and affixes can provide students with opportunities to maximize their word learning (Rasinki, Padak, Newton & Newton, 2011). Students need hands-on opportunities to manipulate word features in a way that allows them to generalize beyond isolated examples to entire groups of words that are spelled the same way (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton & Johnston, 2008).
1. Students play “I have, Who Has” game of prefixes and suffixes by matching with their definitions. Use index cards to make flashcards.
2. Make flashcards by using prefixes, suffixes and root words. The idea is to make words using these together. The student makes the word and his/her partner decides if they agree that it is in fact a word. Look online to verify a word.
TIP #2 WORD WALL FOR PREFIXES, SUFFIXES AND ROOT WORDS
Prepare word walls using prefixes, suffixes and root words. Michael Kieffer and Nonie Lesaux focus on morphology and vocabulary, particularly in urban classrooms. In their article, Breaking Down Words to Build Meaning, 2007, they describe how they have worked with students, many of whom are Spanish speaking natives. By using an approach based on morphemes (word parts) rather than entire words have proven successful in increasing vocabulary. These Spanish students were able to connect Latin morphemes to English vocabulary through their knowledge of Spanish. By creating a word wall, students are able to identify word parts. Teachers can help students build a working knowledge of words by teaching students how to build words with prefixes and suffixes added to root words.
TIP #3 PREPARE A WALL POSTER WITH GREEK AND LATIN ROOTS
Teachers can't possibly cover and teach all of the words that students need to learn, but they can choose a small set of high-academic words students need and then use those as a platform for teaching word learning (Kelley, Lesaux, Kieffer & Fuller, 2010).
By using a wall poster with Greek and Latin roots, students are able to visually see the root, definition, example and picture of one. This visual representation aids students in their growth of vocabulary. By focusing on a relatively small number of words students are able to gain a deeper understanding of these and related words in context. These words should be on the deep learning of general-purpose academic words (ie - analyze, frequent, abstract). Word selection is very important when teaching students with low vocabularies. Teachers should learn to use these words in their discussions with students on a daily basis. (ie- Class, today we will analyze text found on page 399).
TIP #4 STUDENTS WILL THINK-PAIR-SHARE ABOUT GENERAL-PURPOSE ACADEMIC WORDS THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH
While word hunts can extend the number of examples to consider, students can also supply additional examples through brainstorming (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton & Johnston, 2008). Teaching vocabulary and morphology improves students' comprehension of text because knowledge of meaningful word components syllabication and academic vocabulary improves both word recognition skills and subject specific understanding. (Palumbo, Kramer-Vida & Hunt, 2015).
Students will think-pair-share about vocabulary words they are familiar with (Kelley, Lesaux, Kieffer & Faller, 2010). By brainstorming with a partner, they will interact and learn new words from each other. A vocabulary notebook is a great place to write words as students learn them.
TIP #5 WORDLE a display of word relationships within text
Graphic organizers and visual displays highlight the relationship between words (Dalton & Grisham, 2011).
To support visual representation of vocabulary words, Wordle is a free Web application that allows students to create a word cloud based on the frequency of words in a particular text. It can be used to stimulate students' thinking about the meaning, importance, and relationship of words as they create, analyze and publish Wordle. To create a word cloud, students paste text into the applet and then manipulate the visual display by selecting the color scheme, layout, and font. Word clouds can be used to highlight keywords and themes to prepare students for reading, as well as prompt discussion after reading.
Image: Personally created
TIP #6 E-BOOK READERS
Teachers can dramatically expand text options for students by including reading on the Internet and other digital texts (Dalton & Grisham, 2011).
e-book readers, are becoming more common in schools and homes, and usually provide dictionary help in the form of audio pronunciations of the word and brief definitions. This is just another form of reading to advance students' interest in reading. The audio pronunciations are extremely helpful for students to listen to.
#7 VOCABULARY STUDENT NOTEBOOK (SUFFIX)
Vocabulary notebooks are frequently advocated as a way for students to take control of their vocabulary learning (Fowle, 2002) as cited in (Walters & Bozkurt, 2009). Vocabulary notebooks are an integral part of students' word learning at the derivational relations phase (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton & Johnston, 2008).
Students will begin a vocabulary student notebook. This notebook will enable students to refer back to as a reference book of vocabulary. This book can also be used for review and creative writing activities. We will begin with a suffix section. When we add a letter or letters to a base/root word, it is called a suffix. A suffix will change the meaning of the word. Some suffixes have more abstract meaning and therefore can be more of a challenge to learn. This suffix template is divided as follows: the name of the suffix (ie - s, ed, ing); whether it is a vowel or consonant suffix, what origin it is: Latin, Greek or Anglo-Saxon; its meaning; examples of keywords; derivatives and sample sentences. As students come across a new suffix, they will add a new page to their vocabulary notebook.
Image: personal photo
#8 VOCABULARY STUDENT NOTEBOOK (PREFIX)
(See citation in Tip #7.)
Students will add a section for prefixes to the vocabulary notebook. As described above, this will enable students to refer back to a reference book of vocabulary. This book can also be used for review and creative writing activities. A prefix is an affix which is placed at the front of a root/base word. A prefix will change the meaning of the word. The four most common prefixes (un-, re-, in-, dis-) would be a good choice to use this template. The prefix template contains the same sections as the suffix template. Again, as students come across a new prefix, they will add a new page to their vocabulary notebook.
Image: personal photo
#9 VOCABULARY STUDENT NOTEBOOK (ROOT)
(See citation in Tip #7.)
Students will add a section for roots to the vocabulary notebooks. As described above, this will enable students to refer back to the notebook to aid in their vocabulary development. A root or base word is a word that can stand alone. It's what is left after you remove all the affixes. The root template contains a section for Latin, Greek or Anglo-Saxon origin, its meaning, examples of key words, derivatives and sentences. The root template will be used for words that can stand alone. This book will be a useful reference for students in writing or any other creative activity. Students will continue to add pages to their notebook as they come across roots they wish to add to their notebook.
Image: personal photo
TIP #10 CONCEPT SORT
(Beck, McKeon and Kucan 2002) as cited in (Kieffer and Lesaux, 2007) defined what they call "robust vocabulary instruction" as vigorous, strong and powerful instruction that "involves directly explaining the meanings of words along with thought-provoking, playful and interactive follow-up." Sorting pictures or words by concepts or meaning is a good way to link vocabulary instruction to students' conceptual understanding (Bear, Invernizzi, Templeton & Johnston, 2008).
A concept sort is an appealing way for students to become familiar with vocabulary for a new topic or in a book. Teachers provide students with a list of terms, vocabulary words or concepts from reading material. Students place words into different categories based on each of the word's meaning. Categories are defined by the teacher or by the students. However, when the student is given the job of deciding the categories, it's of course another outstanding way for synthesizing to ensue. When used prior to reading, concept sorts provide an excellent opportunity for a teacher to see what the students' understanding of the topic are. When used after reading, teachers can assess students' understanding of the ideas presented.
PARENT TIPS
These tips are effective in helping your child become a better reader, as well as develop their vocabulary.
- Engaging conversations: Engage in lively and expressive conversation with your child using engaging vocabulary, as well as showing interest in what they are saying by looking at them and showing them you are listening to their every word.
- Daily reading: Read with your child daily, whether it's a bedtime story, singing nursery rhymes in the car or pointing out signs on the roadway.
- Language games: Board games, like Pictionary, Scrabble or Taboo.
- Reading activities: Encourage activities that require reading with your child. Such as cooking together while reading a recipe, reading a how-to-manual or instructions, read the Sunday comics together or when you are in the store, stop at the greeting card aisle and let your child pick a simple card.
- Flash cards - Whether sight words, vocabulary words, words with affixes, use cards to quickly motivate your child.
- Technology - Apps are a fun and motivating way to get your child to learn. There are a multitude of educational apps that will provide your child skills in phonics, spelling, writing, comprehension, vocabulary and print awareness. To name a few: Abcmouse.com, Alphabytes and Vocabulary/City Spelling
WEBLIOGRAPHY
FLORIDA CENTER FOR READING RESEARCH
The Florida Center for Reading Research is a great website for both educators and researchers. FCRR is a multidisciplinary research center at Florida State University. This site has available resources and material for educators to improve reading instruction to students as it relates to morphology. The materials available have been developed through the Center’s research projects. There is a multitude of student activities, as well as assessment overview and differentiation instruction that will aid in the development of morphology.
ABCya
ABCya is a free educational computer games and mobile apps site for kids. ABCya is an award-winning destination for elementary students that offers hundreds of fun, engaging learning activities that relate to the morphology process. Some interesting facts concerning ABCya - In 2011, ABCya's app, Math BINGO was featured on Apple's website and installed on the demo iPads at Apple retail stores throughout the US! ABCya.com reaches over 65 million players annually logging over 1.5 billion games played. Their mobile apps have been downloaded almost 5 million times in just a few short years.
ABCmouse
ABCmouse.com Early Learning Academy is a subscription-based online education program for children ages 2–7, created by Age of Learning, Inc. There are over 500 lessons and 5,000 learning activities. Read books, watch videos, listen to music, play games, paint pictures, are just a few of the activities available. Curriculum designed by teachers and learning experts to align student's learning. New lessons and games are updated frequently. Daily featured activities. ABCmouse may be accessed by computer, tablet or smart phone devices. Vocabulary rich activities to enhance morphology skills.
PINTEREST LITERACY ACTIVITIES BOARD
Pinterest has become a well known social network site that allows users to visually share, and discover new interests by posting (known as 'pinning' on Pinterest) images or videos to their own or others' boards (i.e. a collection of 'pins,' usually with a common theme) and browsing what other users have pinned. The literacy activities boards are a wealth of information for how-to's, learning/literacy activities, as well as resources and inspiration for parents and teachers. There are ideas for games, posters, flash cards, writing activities, letter games, foldables, vocabulary strategies, etc. All of these ideas and activities create literacy learning experiences in understanding morphology for all students.
DISCOVERY EDUCATION
Discovery Education transforms classrooms, empowers teachers and engages students by providing high quality, digital content to school districts. Discovery Education offers a portfolio of opportunities for districts to meet students where they want to learn in the digital age. With award-winning digital content, interactive lessons, real time assessment, virtual experiences with some of Discovery's greatest talent, classroom contests & challenges, professional development and more — Discovery is leading the way in transforming classrooms and inspiring learning. The video segment, Infinitec, (2008). Language Structures analyzes the different levels of language structure: phonology, morphology, semantics, syntax, and discourse. The segment stresses the importance of sentence and paragraph structure (syntax and discourse).
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
- Goodwin, A., Lipsky, M., & Ahn, S. (2012). Word Detectives: Using Units of Meaning to Support Literacy. The Reading Teacher,65(7), 461-470
This article examines general trends in morphological instruction and offers insight into what effective morphology instruction should look like in K-8 classrooms. This instruction will therefore improve literacy results in the classroom. This study synthesized the results of 30 studies involving morphological instruction in improving literacy results for students. Teachers are encouraged to instruct students to:
- Build morphemes by segmenting.
- Improve spelling by using morphemes.
- Practice in affix and root word meanings.
- Identify cognates in order to support English Language Learners.
- Segment and then combine compound words.
- Williams, C., Phillips-Birdsong, C., Hufnagel, K., & Hungler, D. (n.d.). Word Study Instruction in the K-2 Classroom. Retrieved May 31, 2016, from http://www.readingrockets.org/article/word-study-instruction-k-2-classroom
This article was excerpted from a longer article: Williams, C., Phillips-Birdsong, C., Hufnagel, K., Hungler, D., & Lundstrom, R.P. (2009, April). Word Study Instruction in the K-2 Classroom. The Reading Teacher, 62(7), 570-578.
- Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2008). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
This book conveys the tools needed for a teacher to effectively approach word study in a hands-on instruction for Phonics, Vocabulary and Spelling. It is an approach for the Emergent Learner, Beginner in Letter/Name Learner, Transitional Learner, Intermediate Reader and Writer Learner, as well as the Advanced Reader and Writer Learner. This instruction will complement any existing phonics, spelling and vocabulary curriculum and will therefore increase morphology understanding in students.
- Birsh, J. R. (2011). Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills. (3rd ed.) Baltimore, MD: P.H. Brookes Pub
This book is research based on each topic and is a go-to reference book for teachers. Topics include multisensory strategies for effective instruction in language skills, the development of oral language and its relationship to literacy. Also incorporated are strategies and activities for teaching phonemic awareness, handwriting, reading with accurate decoding, spelling, word learning and vocabulary instruction. There are chapters devoted to assessments, and well as technology as it supports literacy instruction and learning.
REFERENCES
Bear, D. R., Invernizzi, M., Templeton, S., & Johnston, F. (2008). Words Their Way: Word Study for Phonics, Vocabulary, and Spelling Instruction (4th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall
Dalton, B., & Grisham, D. L. (2011). EVoc Strategies: 10 Ways to Use Technology to Build Vocabulary. The Reading Teacher, 64(5), 306-317. doi:10.1598/rt.64.5.1
Kelley, J. G., Lesaux, N. K., Kieffer, M. J., & Faller, S. E. (2010). Effective Academic Vocabulary Instruction in the Urban Middle School. The Reading Teacher, 64(1), 5-14. doi:10.1598/rt.64.1.1
Kieffer, M. J., & Lesaux, N. K. (2007). Breaking Down Words to Build Meaning: Morphology, Vocabulary, and Reading Comprehension in the Urban Classroom.The Reading Teacher, 61(2), 134-144. doi:10.1598/rt.61.2.3
Palumbo, A., Kramer-Vida, L., & Hunt, C. V. (2015). Teaching Vocabulary and Morphology in Intermediate Grades. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 59(2), 109-115. doi:10.1080/1045988x.2013.850649
Rasinski, T. V., Padak, N., Newton, J., & Newton, E. (2011). The Latin-Greek Connection. The Reading Teacher, 65(2), 133-141. doi:10.1002/trtr.01015
Walters, J., & Bozkurt, N. (2009). The Effect of Keeping Vocabulary Notebooks on Vocabulary Acquisition. Language Teaching Research, 13(4), 403-423. doi:10.1177/1362168809341509