Asynchronous 1:1 Reading and Spelling Support Through Structured Word Inquiry
What's included
4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks
of teacher support1 year access
to the contentHomework
1 hour per week. After each lesson, I will assign some work for your learner to complete independently. This should take no longer than 10-15 minutes for them to complete. What the work will look like will of course vary from week to week as it will be based on your learner's needs.Assessment
I will give feedback on all posted work and update parents on learner progress and next steps as we go.Class Experience
****I strongly recommend choosing the "Pay Weekly" option when you enroll. As the lessons will be tailored to your learner, you will not get all four weeks of content released at once since I will not know what the content will be yet! Choosing "Pay Weekly" will ensure that lessons are released one week at a time. If you do choose to "Pay Upfront," please be aware that you will not see any videos or content yet; videos and assignments will be posted once a week for each of the four weeks. Also - you now have the ability to select your start date for Self-Paced classes. I ask you please choose a Monday as your start date, it will be much easier for me if all learners in this class have weeks that start on the same day. Thank you!*** This is a Self-Paced class, meaning that we will N̲O̲T̲ meet live over Zoom. For a live version of this class, click here: https://outschool.com/classes/11-reading-and-spelling-support-through-structured-word-inquiry-48DdKAA3?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link In this class, I will provide asynchronous tutoring and support for learners in the Structured Word Inquiry approach to spelling. Each week, I will provide one brief (usually between 12-20 minutes max) video lesson tailored to your learner’s needs and/or questions about spelling. I’ll also assign them some related homework to practice a concept and will provide feedback on their work. Work will be posted to a Canva slide deck that I wills hare with them. Content will build from week to week to help develop concepts and skills, and again will be tailored to your learner’s needs and particular questions or words they are struggling with. Your learner can communicate in turn via audio and/or video files, in writing, or by sending pictures of their work, or any combination of the above! This option is ideal for learners whom I may not be able to accommodate due to time zone differences, scheduling conflicts, or for families looking for a lower-cost option than receiving live 1:1 tuition and support in spelling. Sections are listed in 4-week increments. If after the first four weeks you would like to continue working together in this format, you will simply need to enroll in a second four-week class and our work can continue to build off the the first four weeks. Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about how asynchronous tutoring might work, about Structured Word Inquiry, or to request a new section to begin on a date that works for you, or if you would be interested in an option to “meet” more than once a week. Examples of topics I might provide lessons on would be: suffixing rules for silent 𝘦, doubling a final consonant, or changing 𝘺 to 𝘪; learning reasons for having a silent e at the end of a base (there are many more reasons than just to change the sound of the vowel!); closer looks at particular digraphs or letters; how to build words from a word family using a matrix; content words vs. function words; when to add <s> or <es> to make a plural, and much more! Sections will begin on a Monday and run until Friday of the fourth week. If a section will run over a holiday period when either the learner or teacher is taking time off, we can create a longer section to still provide four weeks of lesson content, please just contact me to let me know! **Please note that if I receive a learner's work or questions later than the requested deadlines, I may not be able to provide feedback, follow-up lessons, etc within my promised time frame. Getting the most out of our time each week will require cooperation on both our parts! If your learner needs more time to complete their work, please just let me know. I will always provide at least four video lessons even if I am not receiving posted work from your learner, but the lessons may not be a best match to their needs if I have not seen their work or had questions from them. What is Strucutured Word Inquiry? Structured Word Inquiry is an approach to literacy that: -is not a curriculum or a program, but an approach -developed from the field of linguistics rather than education, hence it is very different from most spelling programs -operates on the premise that the English spelling system is highly ordered and logical -treats spelling as a science that can be studied through questioning, hypothesizing, experimentation and conclusion -offers explanations for how every word is spelled rather than labeling them as "tricky," "irregular" or "rule-breaking" -teaches spelling as an intersection of phonology (sounds), morphology (the parts used to build words; prefixes, bases and suffixes) and etymology (word history and origin) -is not a phonics-based approach (though I do believe a background in basic phonics is very important for readers and spellers. Ideally, your learner will have had some phonics instruction in the past) In working with your learner I will: -determine what they already know about spelling, sounds and letters to individualize my instruction -move them away from learning to spell words by "sounding them out" -move them away from reliance on syllables, which hold no meaning and are often in dispute (does <family> have two syllables or three? What about <different?> How these words are typically pronounced in everyday use is not a direct match to how they are spelled and results in confusion) -move them away from seeing spelling as a letter-by-letter system and towards seeing it as a system of graphemes (teams of letters) and morphemes (prefixes, bases, suffixes) teach them the underlying system and order of English spelling, enabling them to identify patterns -exponentially increase their vocabulary by learning about bases and roots, quickly multiplying the number of words they will be able to decode, spell and understand -remove the need to memorize spelling "rules" and their lists of exceptions -remove the need to rely on visual memory (very difficult for learners with dyslexia!) -help them understand that every word is spelled the way it is for a reason and that every letter has a job -provide structured support and feedback I also offer small group classes that teach the Structured Word Inquiry approach, both live and Flex (pre-recorded videos) versions. Links to these other classes are here, please contact me if you are interested in a discount to try one out! F̲o̲r̲ l̲e̲a̲r̲n̲e̲r̲s̲ a̲g̲e̲s̲ 9̲-1̲2̲: 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬: https://outschool.com/classes/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-a-structured-word-inquiry-approach-DnUQSr9s?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝟖-𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐖𝐈: https://outschool.com/classes/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-a-live-8-week-class-dyCAN9V7?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Self-Paced 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬: https://outschool.com/classes/flex-unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-structured-word-inquiry-xIijJB7W?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link F̲o̲r̲ l̲e̲a̲r̲n̲e̲r̲s̲ a̲g̲e̲s̲ 1̲3̲-1̲6̲: 𝐎𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬: https://outschool.com/classes/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-a-structured-word-inquiry-approach-HkoGyEQG?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link 𝐋𝐢𝐯𝐞, 𝟖-𝐰𝐞𝐞𝐤 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐚 𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐖𝐈: https://outschool.com/classes/unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-a-live-8-week-class-BcfHP84y?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link Self-Paced 𝐜𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬: https://outschool.com/classes/flex-unlocking-the-mysteries-of-english-spelling-structured-word-inquiry-OWbdoGCo?usid=nD85Y1ms&signup=true&utm_campaign=share_activity_link
Learning Goals
During our work together, your learner should come away with the understanding that the English spelling system makes sense and can be approached logically. They will understand that they should rely not only on the sounds letters make, but also consider the parts used to build a word, and its history to understand why it is spelled the way it is.
Syllabus
4 Lessons
over 4 WeeksLesson 1:
Introduction and Brief Assessment
I will spend this first lesson getting to know your learner so that I can tailor future instruction to their needs.
Lesson 2:
To Be Determined
The content of this lesson will vary depending on your learner's needs and questions.
Lesson 3:
To Be Determined
The content of this lesson will vary depending on your learner's needs and questions.
Lesson 4:
To Be Determined
The content of this lesson will vary depending on your learner's needs and questions.
Other Details
Pre-Requisites
This is not a phonics-based method of instruction, but I believe having a strong base in phonics is crucial. Ideally, your learner would have some background in letter-sound correspondence and read at at least a first-grade level.
Supply List
I would recommend that students have a dedicated notebook for our time together where they can take notes, do some work such as word sums, and where they can keep resources I have shared with them.
External Resources
Learners will not need to use any apps or websites beyond the standard Outschool tools.
Teacher expertise and credentials
North Carolina Teaching Certificate in Elementary Education
2 Degrees
Master's Degree in Education from University of Missouri at Columbia
Bachelor's Degree in Education from Calvin College
I first became familiar with SWI (sometimes also known as Real Spelling) more than 12 years ago and have been using it in my brick and mortar classrooms ever since. Over the past seven years in particular I have had extensive professional development in Structured Word Inquiry and have worked to develop teaching resources for colleagues to use in their classrooms. I have worked directly with Peter Bowers, one of the pioneers of SWI, on a number of occasions and use some of his resources with his permission. I have been teaching SWI in both Self-Paced and Ongoing class formats on Outschool since September 2022.
I am an experienced Primary School Classrom Teacher with 20 years of experience in brick and mortar classrooms, and I now have more than one year of experience teaching on Outschool. I have teaching certification for Grades K-9 from the State of North Carolina.
Reviews
Self-Paced Course
$25
weekly or $100 for all content4 pre-recorded lessons
4 weeks of teacher support
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 10 learners
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Ages: 6-14