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New to Outschool? Use code AndreaDa20 for $20 off any class!
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 worst.If rote memorization of lists of spelling words, copying sentences, and applying spelling “rules” that have dozens of exceptions just isn't working for your learner, it may be time for a different approach.
Most spelling programs leave students with serious misunderstandings about how spelling really works. This course will reveal that English spelling is actually highly ordered and logical, once you have unlocked some of its secrets. Students will learn to break words apart into bases, prefixes, and suffixes, and use those parts to make informed decisions about how to spell and understand what words mean. Students will learn to think like “word scientists,” making a hypothesis about spelling patterns, testing their theories, and discovering rules of spelling that actually work.
This class will boost not only their spelling skills, but expand their vocabulary as well. It’s an exploration of etymology and morphology that will transform the way they think about words and the way English spelling functions. Throughout the class, learners are welcomed and encouraged to submit words they find difficult to spell or otherwise mysterious, and I'm happy to build these words into our investigations. Students will come away from the class with a clear understanding that every word is spelled the way it is for a reason, and that it's possible to research, learn and understand the reasons for every spelling!
Here is a breakdown of the topics that will be covered during our 12 Lessons:
- Lesson 1: A History of English and Why Spelling Matters
- Lesson 2: Morphemes, Graphemes and Phonemes
- Lesson 3: Suffixing Rules Part 1: dropping a silent e and doubling a final consonant
- Lesson 4: Suffixing Conventions Part 2: changing y to i
- Lesson 5: Different Types of Bases
- Lesson 6: Practicing Suffixing and Word Building
- Lesson 7: Four Questions When Investigating a Word
- Lesson 8: Content and Function Words
- Lesson 9: Etymological Markers
- Lesson 10: Words from Greek and Latin origins
- Lesson 11: The Difference Between Bases and Roots
- Lesson 12: Summing it Up
Neurodivergency Specializations and Accommodations
Structured Word Inquiry is an excellent strategy for learners with dyslexia as it removes the need to guess at a spelling, memorize lists of rules or rely on visual memory. Students study words in in the context of their word families; those words with whom they share a common base and therefore connections in spelling and meaning. Rather than being taught "tips and tricks" that overload working memory, students are taught to analyze words and that spelling is a system of logic and order.
