Category: Morphology

What is Structure Literacy Instruction – Pillars 3 & 4

Structured literacy instruction includes six pillars or parts of language development-oral and written.  This post includes Pillars 3 and 4. 

Pillar 3 is syllable knowledge, the understanding of the different types of syllables.  The English language has six major types of syllables:

  • cvc …….. cat, ban, bit
  • final e …. kite, bone
  • open …… me, began
  • vowel diagraph …… oi-soil, oil; ee-sleep, keep; ea-beat, leak; oa-boat, road; oo-zoom, smooth
  • r-controlled …… ar-car, start; ir-girl, swirl; er-her, flower; ur-fur, burn; or-fork, corn 
  • constant-le …… marble, puddle, bugle, maple, little

Syllable knowledge increases the accuracy of language pronunciation and comprehension.  Syllable knowledge also increases student decoding and encoding skills.

Pillar 4 is morphology that is the study of the smallest units of meaning or morphemes.  Morphology focuses on how parts of meaning fit together to form words.  Morphology includes word analysis that helps students to learn the meaning(s) of morphemes and how the word parts conclude its meaning.  Word analysis also increases student background knowledge, which increases student ability to comprehend written passages. 

Structured literacy instruction typically includes the following instructional principles:

  • Systematic instruction, students should learn the foundational or prerequisite skills of the current lesson 
  • Modeling of task being taught 
  • Interactive discussions about the task being taught 
  • Many opportunities to practice the new skill
  • Scaffolding of instruction to match student abilities
  • Monitoring of student achievement through observation and interaction  

Structured literacy may be used to teach literacy at all levels of instruction, such as Tier 1-general classroom, Tier 2-intervention usually taught in small groups, Tier 3-intervention usually taught in one-on-one group setting, or special education.  The number of levels for instruction in a RTI model may be different for each school, depending on the learning needs of the current students and the available resources.

References

Birsh, J.R. (2011). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills.

Baltimore:  Paul H. Brookes Pub Co.

Henry, Marcia K. (2010).  Unlocking literacy effective decoding and spelling instruction.

 Baltimore:  Paul H. Brookes Pub Co.

International Dyslexia Association, dyslexiaida.org/what-is-structured-literacy/

Moats, L. (2000). Speech to print. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub Co.

Morphology-Word Analysis

While reading a novel to a group of Grade 5 students, I came across a “new” or unfamiliar word.  The class and I began a discussion about the meaning of the word.  First, we looked for clues in the surrounding words and decided that there was not enough information to come to an absolute conclusion.  So, we began dissecting the word into smaller units of meaning or morphemes.  Many students did not know how to break down the word into morphemes, nor did they know the meaning(s) of the smaller units of the word.  But through further discussion, students began to focus on smaller units of the word and what those parts might mean. The meaning of the word began to ooze, which allowed students to make an educated conclusion of what new word might mean.  This is a form of morphology.

Morphology is the study of word structure.  The analysis of words or encoding and decoding of words helps individuals to understand their origin and how the word parts fit together.  Word analysis also helps students to learn the meaning(s) of morphemes and how the word parts conclude its meaning.  Word analysis also increases student background knowledge, which increases student ability to comprehend written passages.  Word analysis also increases student ability to spell and pronounce words.  Morphology should be introduced in the primary school years.  Morphology should be explicitly taught.

 

References

Birsh, J.R. (2011). Multisensory teaching of basic language skills.

Baltimore:  Paul H. Brookes Pub Co.

Moats, L. (2000). Speech to print. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes Pub Co.

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