“GIVE A MAN A FISH, AND YOU FEED HIM FOR A DAY. TEACH A MAN TO FISH, AND YOU FEED HIM FOR A LIFETIME.”

Traditional spelling instruction often includes word lists, tests, writing words over and over and memorizing. While these strategies have their merits, this four-week, structured word inquiry (SWI) introductory class encourages learners to explore words beyond spelling rules and exceptions. When learners know a word's meaning, history and orthography (spelling), they develop an understanding of and appreciation for English language words that can last a lifetime.

This teacher-led introduction to inquiry-based learning promotes its "5 E's:"

***Engage
***Explore
***Explain
***Elaborate
***Evaluate

Each class, learners make educated guesses (hypotheses) about word meaning, structure, sounds and origin; and discover new knowledge. Learners collaborate, looking for similarities and differences to support their hypothesis; and draw word conclusions. Learners explain their insight into a word's orthographic (spelling) pattern to enhance their understanding. 


Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) answers four Inquiry questions:
                              **  What does the word mean (based on the context of the story)?
                              **  What is its structure (including base word, prefixes and suffixes)?
                              **  What are some relatives (other words in the same word family)?
                               ** How do the letters (graphemes) function to spell a word)?

Why engage in inquiry-based learning?
***To encourage learners to think confidently, critically and creatively about words (and other things).

Word investigators can understand and apply the three big ideas behind words:

1. Morphology (word structure) is the framework.
2. Etymology explains morphology, going beyond the surface meaning of words.
3. Spelling-sound is important and so is meaning, which strengthens spelling, expands vocabulary, deepens comprehension and allows us to understand relationships between spelling and pronunciation.

*** Word inquiry leads to word power!

Instructional Strategies Include:
** Word Sorts (Word Families)
** Boxing the Base
** Word Sums:  un+ dis + cover + ed  ----------> undiscovered
                           prefixes    base   suffix                    complete word

***Words have a history, which means they have a story to tell.

Spin the SWI Wheel:

***Each class, learners can choose to spin the SWI wheel and answer the spun question. The wheel expands weekly with new concepts and skills. Possible SWI wheel questions include:

***What is Etymology?
***Is "sruct" a free or bound base? Why?
***Can you identify the prefix, base and suffix in the word "procession?" "What do they mean?"



Structured Word Inquiry benefits:
                                  **Writing: spelling and word choice
                                  **Reading: decoding and comprehension
                                  **Speaking and Listening: strengthened vocabulary

***English spelling isn't simple, but it's clear!

Course provides instruction on:
** Prefixes (including dis, un and post)
** Greek bases (including graph, scope and photo)
** Latin bases (including duct, ject and script)
** Suffixes (including ful, ness, and tion)

***Class Lessons***

Week 1 

**Learners take an informal oral, pre-assessment of baseline knowledge of prefixes, Greek/Latin bases, suffixes and etymology.
**Introduce learners to structured word inquiry (SWI) and its five components.
**Introduce the three big ideas of structured word inquiry: 

1. Morphology (word structure)
2. Etymology (word origin)
3. Orthography (spelling)

**Teach learners how to differentiate between free and bound bases in words.
**Introduce the Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) wheel to enhance learning.

Week 2

**Review Lesson One's key takeaways. 
**Introduce the SWI instructional method of Boxing the Base.
**Incorporate the five components of SWI: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate.
**Encourage leaners to spin the SWI wheel and test their SWI knowledge.

Week 3

**Review Lesson Two's key takeaways. 
**Introduce the SWI instructional method of Word Matrices.
**Incorporate the five components of SWI: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate.
**Encourage leaners to spin the SWI wheel and test their SWI knowledge.

Week 4

**Review Lesson Three's key takeaways. 
**Introduce the SWI instructional method of Word Sums.
**Incorporate the five components of SWI: Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate and Evaluate.
**Encourage leaners to spin the SWI wheel and test their SWI knowledge.
**Learners take an informal oral, post-assessment of course knowledge of prefixes, Greek/Latin bases, suffixes and etymology.

Ideally, learners will develop an appreciation for, and deeper understanding of English language words, including origin, meaning, spelling and pronunciation- skills that can last a lifetime.