Thinking About Words: First Graders’ Response to Morphological Instruction

Abstract

The authors detail word‐learning strategies from a small‐scale early reading intervention for first graders (N = 3) focused on Greek and Latin roots in science‐based informational texts. Educators can provide explicit instruction to support student awareness of word structures in content‐specific vocabulary, and this instruction can be adapted to meet the needs of students at different reading levels. The current intervention involved an exploration of morphology, including the study of Greek and Latin roots and of affixes, and its contribution to word relations and meanings. The intervention was designed to complement Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. The instructional approaches included root identification tasks, problem‐solving techniques, and practice with word production by analyzing selected terms in authentic scientific texts. Analyses suggested that opportunities to personalize and practice with roots and affixes, specifically through interactive activities such as discussions and creating visual representations, supported the development of students’ morphological awareness.

Key Knowledge to Support Phonological Awareness and Phonics Instruction

“…Accordingly, phonics instruction need not involve only rote teaching methods. Contrary to criticisms that phonics instruction involves only “skill and drill,” phonics instruction can and should involve children in higher level tasks such as reflecting on words, grapheme–phoneme correspondences, and orthographic patterns; analyzing how words sound and are spelled and how these relate to meaning; and evaluating their own decoding and spelling to see whether and why their attempts are successful or unsuccessful (for examples of ways to integrate such higher‐level instruction, see Freeman et al, 2019; Ganske, 2016).…”

Knowledge of Greek and Latin Roots is Related to Reading Comprehension among French-Speaking Sixth Graders

“…However, little research has investigated the relationship between the knowledge of Greek and Latin roots and reading comprehension. Even though students as young as first graders are sensitive to Greek and Latin roots' meaning after a morphological instruction (Freeman et al, 2019), most studies have been conducted with middle-grade and high school English-speaking students. Crosson and McKeown (2016) measured the effects on reading comprehension of a morphological instruction based on Greek and Latin roots.…”

Stages, Phases, Repertoires, and Waves: Learning to Spell and Read Words

“…This explicit awareness supports the mind‐set that there is a logic to the system of English spelling, one that explains what on the surface appear to be exceptions and irregularities (Adoniou, 2014; Daffern & Critten, 2019). ▪Vocabulary instruction in the primary grades may include some attention to more advanced derivationally related words, noting semantic relations (although not expecting correct spelling for such words), such as mine / mineral , geology / geologist / geological (Freeman, Townsend, & Templeton, 2019). ▪Knowledge of the developmental relations among spelling, reading, and vocabulary helps teachers make the appropriate developmental decision when younger learners occasionally spell correctly, or are attempting to spell, words that reflect more advanced spelling features.…”