How many students can relate to the seemingly chaotic nature of English language spelling?
When students grumbled about spelling challenges or rattled off lists of exceptions, I couldn’t help but agree. English spelling can seem chaotic.
But then I discovered something fascinating: English words aren’t just random collections of letters; they’re packed with history, drawing from Anglo-Saxon, French, Latin, and Greek roots. There are stories behind those words.
What is Etymology?
Etymology is the study of the origin of words and how their meanings have changed throughout history.
Etymology activities give our students a chance to uncover these stories, connecting them to the rich tapestry of language history.
In addition to etymologic activities, students will benefit from Lexical Matrix.
Lexical Matrix Activities to Improve Student Spelling
When children learn about 40 prefixes and 50 suffixes, along with 40 or so Latin and Greek bases, they have the tools to unlock numerous words for decoding and spelling.
Marcia K. Henry
Prefixes are those letters placed before the base word.
Suffixes are those letters placed after the base word.
And the Latin or Greek base? Well, that’s the simplest form of the word.
How many new words can your students create? Now, what do they mean?
What is a bicyclist? Students will learn that -ist means one who does. So, a bicyclist is one who cycles with two (bi-) wheels.
What does recycling mean? Students can explore the prefix re- in other words they know. They will learn that re- means “back to the original place; again, anew, once more”. How does this change their thoughts about the meaning of the word and the action of recycling?
It will soon become apparent that words are much more than just letters strung together; they hold stories within them.
By adding etymology and lexical matrix activities to your teaching toolkit, you can inspire a love for exploring language and empower your students to become skilled spellers and budding linguists.
For a quick reference on how Anglo-Saxon, French, Latin, and Greek history has shaped English spelling, grab a copy of English Spelling According to Language of Origin.
As educators and parents, we can feel at a loss when we don’t see a meaningful change in our students’ spelling abilities and test scores. Thankfully, there are ways to explicitly guide students through Structured Word Inquiry and spelling investigation to develop their skills. Etymology activities are just one key tool. Others include sound boxes, lexical matrixes, and word sums. Together, these are key tools to help students make sense of spelling.
If you’d like to learn more about the power of words and enhance your ability to
- develop students’ concepts of spelling• understand spelling misconceptions,
- evaluate students’ writing samples, and
- use a multi-modal structured literacy approach to build students’ spelling skills,
then you’d be interested in Spelling: Linking Reading and Writing.
Thanks for the summary. I’m looking forward to the Spelling session mentioned above.
I often use these interesting resources: Uncovering The Logic of English by Denise Eide and The Word Snoop by Ursula Dubosarsky.