Where to Start with Morphology

Where do I start with morphology? What resources are there? How do I use etymology? What can I refer to as I learn this new skill? How do I share this with students? Those were my questions too about eight years ago. My mind was blown by the brief teaching of how to make a word sum and the visual of a word matrix. I felt I had just stumbled onto something life-changing, and I was right.

Seeing the structure of words like signature–> sign + ate + ure in a word sum opened my eyes. You don’t need a curriculum to use morphology with your students, although you can use morphology with any program that uses words! The word for a study might come from a misspelling, an unfamiliar word they bumped into reading, or just one that seems interesting.

Can you use morphology without etymology?

What’s etymology? It’s a word language of origin and changes to spelling and meaning throughout its history.

Yes, you can. Eventually though, you’ll need etymology to make sense of the morphology, to see what the base actually is and better understand the spelling. Start using morphology and then begin learning about how etymology gives you a wider view of what’s influenced our spelling.

So many questions are answered using Structured Word Inquiry, the term for word study involving morphology (word structure), etymology (word history), and phonology (sounds in words).

Start with What You Know

You can start with a word your student already knows. Jump, blast, talk. I chose those specifically because they do not require any suffixing conventions (doubling a final consonant, replacing a final <e>, or changing <y> to <i>).

Spell aloud the word. Then ask your student to use it in a sentence verbally. When the student does that, they may add a suffix to the base. Like, “John jumped off the couch.” The student added the suffix <-ed> to it. That’s gives you the first word sum you’ll work on.

Model & Learn Morphology Together

You can then write the base, saying “j-u-m-p”. Add a plus sign, say “plus” and write and say “e-d”. Draw an arrow –> (I say, “becomes” for the process arrow because the morphemes become the completed word. Some say, “is rewritten as.” Both work fine.) and write the complete word “j-u-m-p” tiny pause “e-d”. Pronounce the word, “jumped”.

Ask your student if they can think of any other words that start with “jump”. Create more word sums, spelling out loud, using the same process. You’ve begun using morphology. Your student has noticed suffixes and seen how they are combined with the base. You could use those different words starting with jump in sentences and discuss how the suffixes changed the meaning and usage.

I’ll be sharing more tools soon.

Here are just a few resources available:

(This post contains affiliate links. Read my full disclosure.)

Books

I started with this one. Teaching How the Written Word Works by Dr. Peter Bowers is where many of us began learning about Structured Word Inquiry. Dr. Bowers coined the term, structured word inquiry (SWI), describing the format of discovering how English works with questions and investigations. He also offers classes (below).

Dyslexia & Spelling Making Sense of It All by Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley explains why spelling is difficult for dyslexic students, provides simple explanations of where to start with morphology and etymology to teach spelling, and shares spelling activity ideas.

Beneath the Surface of Words by Sue Hegland has been described as a textbook for Structured Word Inquiry. It is thorough, masterfully written, and certainly one you’ll want to study as you become more comfortable with word study. I’m reading it now and it’s fine-tuning my understanding.

Classes

There are a number of individuals who offer courses in beginning Structured Word Inquiry. I’ll list a few. You can google more options.

Word Works Kingston, Dr. Peter Bowers

Empower Learning Center, Lisa Barnett

Structured Word Inquiry in the Classroom, Mary Beth Steven

Dyslexia Training Institute, Dr. Kelli Sandman-Hurley & Tracy Black-Zaretsky

Online Resources

Real Spelling Toolbox, an online subscription resource (check compatibility before purchase), that provides a wealth of information about how English spelling works.

Etymonline.com is the go-to for understanding where a spelling came from, its history, and how it evolved to our Modern English spelling. This is a free website, but you can support it here. Here’s the introduction and explanation page that explains terms used in the site.

Mini-Matrix-Maker lets you create a matrix and Word-Searcher lets you search for specific spellings. Both are created and managed by Neil Ramsden.