mudassardev312

Real Connections: MEANING, STRUCTURE, RELATIVES, PRONUNCIATION < fri end >  ... such a valuable and interesting word to investigate at the beginning of  the  school year... I love that this word has a non-phonemic letter to demonstrate that not all letters in an English word will  represent pronunciation.  I love that this word explicitly demonstrates that the primary function of English spelling is to represent MEANING , not pronunciation. I have been working with a group of young students whose previous spelling instruction has primarily been based on thinking that  spelling represents sound. "Time to change their thinking by explicitly demonstrating and investigating  how the English spelling system really works." I want the children to be able to spell <friend> accurately from the very beginning of the school year but  more importantly I want them to know why it is spelled this way; I want them to understand that not all letters i...

The primary function of English spelling is to represent MEANING .   Implementing orthography,  through scientific inquiry,  in the early years.  As I continue on my learning journey, and work with young children in a variety of learning settings, it is consistently validated  that teaching morphology to the youngest is not only essential but critical to their success as proficient language users.   As we know and understand from research, morphology is the building block, the solid foundation, for understanding how the English spelling system works. It provides a meaningful structure for teaching and learning phonology in an effective and authentic way. In this post, I would like to share a wonderful learning story of a group of young children who are currently embarking on a journey of orthographic understanding. This structured word inquiry was explicitly embedded in an authentic literacy learning experience, integratin...

Essential Understandings...where to start? Building essential orthographic understanding in the early years. "What are some ways to start teaching structured word inquiry  with a group of children...?" A frequently asked question from teachers who are embarking on the critical journey of teaching orthography ( morphology , etymology and  phonology ). I use the word <critical> with great emphasis, as I believe orthography, and in particular morphology (and etymology), to be the critical 'missing link' in the teaching of literacy in the early years of schooling. Using significant words to investigate, from a Unit of Inquiry about  materials and their properties. Although I am particularly interested in provided developmentally appropriate experiences for younger children, the following strategies and activities have been presented to different age groups, ranging from 3 year olds to Middle School students to adults.  Learning to use...