SP Course: Introduction to Structured Word Inquiry
Andrea Dalland, M.Ed, MLS
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(117)
If learning rules with tons of exceptions and rote memorization of words isn't working, it's time to try a new approach. This class will transform learners' understanding of words and how spelling works while also improving vocabulary.
Class experience
**All lessons newly revised and updated as of April 2024!** If you are like most speakers of English, you’ve been taught to spell a word by “sounding it out.” But you probably also know that this strategy only works a small handful of times. Between silent letters, letters that can make more than one sound, and words that sound exactly the same but are spelled differently…..the number of obstacles in the way of “sounding out” words makes this strategy inefficient at best and frustrating at...
8 lessons//8 Weeks
Week 1Lesson 1The History of EnglishThis introductory lesson will teach learners about the fascinating history of the English language and how we have gotten to where we are today. We'll also discuss why having a consistent spelling system across the English-speaking world is so important, and we'll examine the idea that English spelling is more interested in communicating meaning than sounds.Week 2Lesson 2Phonemes, Graphemes and MorphemesStudents will learn the definitions of phonemes, graphemes, and morphemes and how they work together to spell words. We will work on doing some phoneme-grapheme mapping and also work on starting to break words apart to look for their parts.Week 3Lesson 3Word FamiliesStudents will learn about Word Families, and see that words that are connected in meaning will also share connections in how they are spelled. We will also learn how to use a matrix to build words from a common word family.Week 4Lesson 4Suffixing Conventions Part 1We’ll begin to start thinking like “word scientists” and will start to look at some of the rules of adding suffixes to bases, including when to drop the single, silent e at the end of a base word.Week 5Lesson 5Suffixing Conventions Part 2We will continue to explore the rules of suffixing, focusing on the doubling of final consonants, and learn the difference between a vowel suffix and a consonant suffix, and begin to use flowcharts to help make decisions about spelling.Week 6Lesson 6Suffixing Conventions Part 3This week will examine what happens when base words ending in y have a suffix added to them. Students will again think like "word scientists" to determine the rules for any spelling changes to a base that ends in y.Week 7Lesson 7Different Types of BasesIn this lesson, we will learn the difference between a bound base and a free base and continue building words with a matrix to apply the suffixing rules we have learned.Week 8Lesson 8Four QuestionsIn our final lesson of the class, we will continue to practice thinking like word scientists to ask a question about spelling. We'll also learn about four questions you can ask yourself when you are trying to figure out how to spell a word which may help you spell the word correctly.
At the end of this class, students will be able to: -break words apart into prefixes, bases, and suffixes -understand how to identify the graphemes, morphemes, and phonemes that create a word -understand that words that are connected in meaning will also be connected in spelling -understand how adding a suffix can change the spelling of a base word, for example by dropping a silent -e or doubling a final consonant -use provided flow charts and matrices to make decisions about spelling when adding a suffix to a base word -understand that the way a word is spelled is often influenced by its history and origin -understand that every word is spelled the way it is for a reason and that every letter has a job (and it's job might not be to make a sound in that word.) -approach spelling problems by "thinking like a scientist," making a hypothesis about a word, testing their hypothesis, and seeing the results
I have had extensive professional development in the ideas presented in this class, including working directly with Peter Bowers and WordWorksKingston to learn the principles of Structured Word Inquiry, and I have seven years of experience teaching this content in a classroom setting. I have also been involved in the creation of resources for colleagues to use in their teaching as they implemented SWI in their own classrooms.
Homework Offered
There will be a homework assignment following each class, which will give learners the opportunity to practice what has been learned in the lesson. Homework should take about 10-20 minutes after each lesson. All assignments will be posted on a Canva slide deck that each learner will be able to access and edit. More instructions are given in the introductory video.0 - 1 hours per week outside of class
Assessments Offered
Grades Offered
The Structured Word Inquiry approach to spelling is excellent for learners with dyslexia as it reduces the amount of cognitive load required to learn how to spell words (reducing emphasis on memorization of "rules")
It's helpful if your child has a good basic understanding of letter-sound correspondence.
Students might want paper or a notebook for taking notes, practicing some of the skills and spellings we learn in the class, and for doing some of the homework assignments, though all work can also be done on Canva. It's helpful to have a printer to print some of the assignments and flow charts if your learner prefers working from a hard copy.
When your learner enrolls I will post a link in the class page that will take them to their very own slide deck on the Canva platform. The slide deck will contain all their homework assignments for the class, and students may complete the work directly on the slide deck if they choose. More instructions, including an orientation of the features of Canva, will be posted with the slide deck. You do not need a Canva account, the link I post will provide you with access.
The content of this class is based off the work of Peter Bowers, Melvyn Ramsden, Sue Hegland, Fiona Hamilton, and many others. Some of the resources used were created by Peter Bowers and used with his permission. More about his work with the WordWorks Literacy Centre can be found at: https://wordworkskingston.com/WordWorks/Home.html
Average rating:5.0Number of reviews:(117)
I love being a teacher and have wanted to be one for as long as I can remember! I now have 20 years of experience teaching elementary school and I hold two Master's degrees; one in Literacy, Curriculum and Instruction, and one in Library...
Self-Paced Class
$15
weekly or $120 for all content8 pre-recorded lessons
8 weeks of teacher feedback
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1 year of access to the content
Completed by 82 learners
Ages: 9-12
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