Index
1. Catch kids with an interesting spelling question.
2. Present a set of words that make the relevant pattern more salient.
3. Help kids hypothesize a solution from carefully presented evidence.
4. Guide testing of students’ hypotheses and identify the precise pattern.
5. Practice the identified pattern with appropriate tools.
Structured Word Inquiry: Integrating Content & Process
Bowers, P. N. & Kirby, J. R. (2010).
suffixes that cause a change: -ed, -er, -ing, -ure, -age, -es
suffixes that do not cause a change: -ment -s
Hypothesis: Vowel suffixes replace single, silent <e>s.
Page 6 of handout
Index
cave + ed → cavedrequire + ment →smile + ing → brave + est → brave + ly → imagine + ary → ice + y → icy
Suffixing Flow Chart(www.realspelling.com)
Index
Building and announcing word sums:Free www.wordworkskingston.com resource
Index
Building the word sum for the word <teacher>
Step 1: Assemble morphemes.
Building and announcing word sums:
teach + er →
Index
Building the word sum for the word <teacher>
Step 1: Assemble morphemes.
Building and announcing word sums:
teach + er →
t-ea-ch-- plus -- er -- is rewritten as --
Index
Building the word sum for the word <teacher>
Step 1: Assemble morphemes.
Building and announcing word sums:
teach + er → teacher
t-ea-ch---- er
t-ea-ch-- plus -- er -- is rewritten as --
Index
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 1: Assemble morphemes.
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop + ing →
sh--o-p -- plus -- i-n-g -- is rewritten as --
check the joins!
Index
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 2: Check the joins!
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop + ing →
Index
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop + ing →
Is it a vowel suffix?
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 2: Check the joins!
Index
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop + ing →
Does the word endwith just one consonant letter?
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 2: Check the joins!
Index
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop + ing →
Is there just one vowel letter beforethat consonant letter?
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 2: Check the joins!
Index
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
Double the last letter before you add the suffix.
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 2: Check the joins!
shop(p) + ing →
Index
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 3: Write and spell out the result.
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop(p) + ing →
sh--o-p -- plus -- i-n-g -- is rewritten as --
Index
Building the word sum for the word <stopping>
Step 3: Write and spell out the result.
Building and announcing word sums with doubled consonants:
shop(p) + ing → shopping
sh--o-p -- plus -- i-n-g -- is rewritten as --
sh--o-- double p ---- i-n-g
Index
tell + ing → telling
t--e-- double l -- plus -- i-n-g -- is rewritten as --
t-e-- double l ---- i-n-g
Index
fly/i + es → flies
f--l-- change the <y> to <i> ---- e-s
f--l--y -- plus -- e-s-- is rewritten as--
Index
Synthetic Word Sums
Substructure → Surface Structure
spring → spring
care + ful + ly →
spell + ing →
cute + er →
cut + er →
act + ive + ity + es →
Page 7 of handout
Index
Synthetic Word Sums
Substructure → Surface Structure
spring → spring
care + ful + ly → carefully
spell + ing → spelling
cute/ + er → cuter
cut(t) + er → cutter
act + ive/ + ity/i + es → activities
Page 7 of handout
Index
Analytic Word Sums
Surface Structure → Substructure
spilling → spill + ing
helpfully → help + ful + ly
sisterhood → sister + hood
assistance → as + sist + ance
duckling → duck + ling
bookkeeper → book + keep + er
Page 7 of handout