Real Spelling Workshop

“When I use a word, “ Humpty Dumpty said in a rather scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less.”

“The question is,” said Alice, “whether you can make words mean so many different things.”

“The question is,” said Humpty Dumpty, “which is to be master – that’s all.”

Five Minute Write

On the index card, reflect on the following question:

What is spelling?

Word Sort Warm Up

“Spelling is cognitive in conception, engagement

and execution”

~ Melvyn Ramsden

Sort the High Frequency word cards to the Toolkit Themes that are represented within each word. Be able to justify your thinking.

OR

Sort the SAT cards into meaningful categories. Be able to justify your thinking.

Orthography

Essential Questions

What does the word mean?

“Spelling’s defining purpose is to represent meaning: you cannot even begin to spell a word if you don’t know what it means.”

How is it built?

“The foundation of a word’s spelling is its base. If a target word is not itself a free base, the base must first be identified.”

What are the word’s relatives?

“A high priority in spelling is to signal meaning connection with, and differences from, other words. This is specially important in the case of homophones.”

Stand Up Conversation

Find a partner and have a 3 minute stand-up conversation:

Share your reflection of what spelling is Has your original definition of spelling changed? If so,

how?

Spelling Test!

Call to Action

What can the teacher do to consolidate the correct spelling of a word?

Build words from a matrix /construct matrix Analyze words into morphemes-word sums Spell aloud, pausing between morphemes Construct word webs Hypothesize as to patterns and principles Justify patterns principles or grapheme choices Investigate and teach others a pattern Analyze miscues explaining what principle a student may

need to know

Word Webs

Open-ended, investigative tool

Shows links between meaning, structure and roots

Word Web Extension

Word Webs

Discuss,

What cognitive processes do students engage in when building word webs? How does an activity such as this

strengthen a child’s understanding of words?

Questions & Food for Thought

On an index card,

1. Write any questions you have.

2. Skim the Real Spelling Manual – Chapter D handout. We will be re-reading and discussing this article tomorrow morning.

Rights of a Speller: Warm Up

Find a partner,

Choose a ‘right’ from the envelope and read it aloud.

Share your thoughts and opinions regarding the right.

Work your way through the ‘rights’ until time is called.

Morphology

The structure and sequence of meaning

Morphology Terminology

1. Morpheme: A morpheme is the smallest unit of meaning which cannot be further reduced without losing or changing that meaning

2. Base Element:The essential structural element of any word that is the kernel of its meaning and structure. Free Base Element:

A morpheme that can form a word with no affixes is said to be ‘free’. Bound Base Element:

Elements that can not be free-standing are ‘bound’ elements. All affixes are bound. Examples of bound bases are < rupt > and < ceive >.

Morphology Terminology

2. Affixes:Bound elements which can only be found in association with a base. Prefix:

Bound element attached in front of a base element or another prefix Suffix:

Bound element that follows a base element or another suffix

3. Word Sums:A process to divide a word into its morphemes

How is the word built?

How is the word built?

< intractable>

1. What does the word mean?

2. Identify any prefixes or suffixes. Justify.

3. Identify the base element.

4. What other words share the same base element?

“Meet the Matrix”

Read a matrix from left to right. Make only single, complete words from

a matrix. If you are not sure that a word you

build from a matrix is a real word, then check to see it is in your dictionary.

You may use only one element from a column at a time.

You do not have to use an element from every column of a matrix, BUT you must NOT leapfrog over a column.

Watch the joins! You must be on the lookout for spelling patterns when you make a word from a matrix. For example – dropping a single silent <e>, doubling a final consonant, changing a <y> to an <i>…These changes occur when a vowel suffix is added.

Fluency Conversation

Find a partner to have a stand-up conversation. Identify who is Partner A and who is Partner B. Partner A speaks for 90 seconds on all things

morphological. Partner B speaks for 60 seconds on all things

morphological ~ no repeats! Partner A speaks for 45 seconds. No repeats! Partner B speaks for 30 seconds. No repeats!

Morphology Theme Kits

Hypothesize the reason(s) for the spelling change.

Research the reasons behind the change in spelling.

Present findings to group.

<tract>Kit 5D: <-er> <-or>

<struct>Kit 4B: Base words to Base Elements or Kit 5D: <-er> <-or>

<busy>Kit 3F: i/y Conventions

<spire>Kit 5C: Fine-tuning the suffix Connections

<take>

Kit 1D: Effect of a Single Silent <e>

Phonology

The pronunciation of meaning

Phonology

Phonology Terminology

1. grapheme: smallest contrastive unit in the writing; system which matches onto the phonemes. may be a single grapheme, digraph <ph> /f/ or trigraph <igh> /ai/

2. phoneme: the smallest units of minimal contrastive sounds-for-meaning,

called phonemes, are represented in writing by graphemes.

3. phone: sound

Phonology of <c>

What to do next?

Choose a Theme Kit to teachMap out your lesson. Record reflection with photos or video and send to

Sharon/Ann by October 15th. Guidelines will be posted on the blog early in the week.

We are your ‘help desk’ if needed. Ask.

Etymology

The interconnections of meaning

Etymology Terminology

1. Root:Often still seen used as the equivalent of base, it now properly refers to the etymological origin from which a given element has developed. The same root may have generated one, two or more bases. The term base is structural; the term root is historical.

2. Diachronic Etymology: <dia + chron + ic>Literal meaning: through time; the origins of the word

3. Synchronic Etymology: <syn + chron + ic>Literal meaning: together in time: words existing today with the

same base element. Shared root.

Nuances of Words

Report Card Statements:

Johnny is a thief.

Susie spits, bites and hits others.