Lesson 2: Building words (developing morphological knowledge)

Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English

Reading and viewing, language: Phonics and word knowledge

Level 3: 

  • Recognise most high-frequency words, know how to use common prefixes and suffixes, and know some homophones and generalisations for adding a suffix to a base word (VCELA250)

Writing, language: Phonics and word knowledge

Level 4: 

  • Understand how to use spelling patterns and generalisations including syllabification, letter combinations including double letters, and morphemic knowledge to build word families (VCELA295)

Links to the Victorian Curriculum – English as an Additional Language (EAL)

Pathway B

Reading and viewing

Level BL:

Level B1:

  • Identify common syllables and patterns within words (VCEALL288)
  • Use knowledge of base words to read new forms (VCEALL285)

Level B2:

  • Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to read new words with some support (VCEALL368)

Level B3:

  • Apply knowledge of letter–sound relationships to deduce the pronunciation of new words (VCEALL447)

Writing

Level BL:

  • Spell a number of high-frequency words accurately (VCEALL237)

Level B1:

  • Spell accurately common words encountered in the classroom (VCEALL318)

Level B2:

  • Spell frequently used words with common patterns with increased accuracy (VCEALL398)

Level B3:

  • Spell most words accurately, drawing on a range of strategies but with some invented spelling still evident (VCEALL477)

Theory/practice connections

It is important for students to use a range of different knowledges to learn to spell words. Research (Bowers, 2017) suggests that meaning or morphology plays an important role in the logic of the English spelling system. In this lesson, students use word matrices as a way to organise base words and inflections (suffixes and prefixes) and as a scaffold for building new words.

Learning Intentions

We are learning that adding suffixes and prefixes to base words can change their meaning.

We are learning that the spelling of base words remains the same when suffixes and prefixes are added.

Success Criteria

I can build new words by adding suffixes and prefixes to base words.

I can use my knowledge of the meaning of base words and suffixes and prefixes to help me spell unfamiliar words.

Role of the writer

Text encoder – knowing and using base words, suffixes and prefixes to spell words.

Group Size

Whole class, or small group (4-6 students).

Lesson Sequence

  1. Reread the picture book for pleasure.
  2. Draw students’ attention to a word in the text that contains a suffix and a prefix, for example, appeared and disappeared.
  3. Record the selected word on the whiteboard in a matrix diagram (see: matrix example (docx - 23.19kb)) as base word + suffix, for example:
    • appear + ed = appeared
     or, prefix + base word + suffix, for example:
    • dis + appear + ed = disappeared.
    Discuss the function of the dis-  prefix to mean ‘do the opposite of’ and the use of the -ed suffix to mark past tense. Ask students what other suffixes or prefixes could be used to build new words around the base word.
  4. Model writing ‘word sums’ for the students from the matrix to make new words, for example:
    • dis + appear + ance = disappearance
    • re + appear + ing = reappearing
    Remember to talk about the meaning of the suffixes and prefixes and how these change the meaning of the base word when added.
  5. Students write other word sums from matrix in pairs or independently.
  6. Students use other words from the picture book to create their own matrices and write their own word sums.

Differentiation

The teacher can select particular words from the text with regular or irregular spelling patterns or prepare word matrices for students needing more support. Some students can be further supported by work with the teacher in a small group or with a partner to independently create new matrices and word sums.