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When we teach spelling, are we just teaching students to put letters in the right order? There’s so much more to it! English spelling is influenced by both sound and meaningful structure. Words are made up of meaningful parts called morphemes. And when students begin to recognize those parts, they start to understand WHY words are spelled the way they are.One way we can help students notice this is by “spelling out” a word. When we spell a word aloud, we can help students notice how that word is built. Instead of just naming each letter, we say the letters in a way that highlights the word’s structure. (Check out the examples on the slide.)Michelle and I are so passionate about bringing morphology into our literacy instruction. 💗 That’s exactly the kind of teaching we explore inside our Beyond Phonics Club.We created this community to help teachers connect the pieces of literacy instruction, from phonics and spelling to morphology, vocabulary, and beyond. We have videos, a growing library of lessons and student materials, and monthly community calls. Teaching reading doesn’t stop at phonics, and neither should our professional learning!💗 Want to join us? Comment BEYOND and we’ll send you the details!
When you think of dyslexia, what comes to mind? 🤔A common misconception is that it’s mixing up letters or reading words backward. But those aren’t the signs we should be looking for!There are signs we might notice in a student’s reading, spelling, writing, and even before they start learning to read.And dyslexia doesn’t look the same in every child! It exists on a continuum, with varying degrees of difficulty and different patterns of strengths and weaknesses.So what should we do when we notice these signs?Screeners like DIBELS and Acadience can help us identify students who may be at risk for reading difficulties. From there, we can dig deeper to understand exactly where a student is struggling and what instruction they need.And remember, we don’t need to wait for a dyslexia diagnosis to begin providing targeted intervention!The more we understand what dyslexia can look like, the better equipped we are to recognize students who may need extra support. 💗Save this one to refer back to! Want a copy? Comment DYSLEXIA and I’ll send the link to this free download along with a few others.
If you’re looking for a quick reference guide and visuals like this one to post around your school, comment “dyslexia” and I will send you the link to a free resource. Every October, we talk about dyslexia awareness, but awareness is just the first step. What truly changes outcomes is understanding how to teach, support, and empower these students day to day.Students with dyslexia process language differently, so reading requires intentional, structured instruction that helps build the pathways fluent readers use automatically.If you’re looking to learn more: 📚 Casey Harrison 🦋The Dyslexia Classroom®️ has a wonderful new book full of insight and practical guidance. 📚Overcoming Dyslexia by Sally Shaywitz is a must-read!🎧 Listen to Michelle Sullivan • Science of Reading • Literacy Podcast October podcast series on dyslexia awareness.🌐 Visit your local Decoding Dyslexia chapter to connect with advocacy and resources in your state.💡 Explore The International Dyslexia Association (IDA) website for definitions, fact sheets, and training opportunities.
Your students know the phonics skills…so why are some of them STILL struggling? Maybe they can read the simpler words, but things start to fall apart as the words get bigger.Maybe they know a phonics pattern during the lesson, but you’re not seeing it transfer to their reading and spelling.Maybe they can decode the word…but have no idea what it means.Or maybe YOU can see where your students are getting stuck, but you’re not always sure what to point out or say in the moment.That’s exactly what we’re talking about TOMORROW. 🎉Join us for our FREE Masterclass! We’ll show you how understanding just a little more about how words actually work can change what you notice, how you respond when students get stuck, AND help you do more with the literacy instruction you’re already providing.And yes—this is for K–5. 🙌📅 September 30
⏰ 7 PM ET
💻 Live on Zoom
🎟️ 100% FREETag a teacher friend who needs to come with you! ❤️Comment JOIN and we’ll send you all the details!Logos Literacy Academy • Beyond Phonics Club • Morphology Sarah Paul | Science of Reading Michelle Sullivan • Science of Reading • Literacy Podcast
Our Fall SOR Book Study on “Know Better, Do Better: Comprehension” kicks off LIVE today!It’s not too late to join! We’d love to have you! And if you miss a session, no worries! You’ll get the recordings. 👏Comment BETTER to join the fun!Thanks to Michelle Sullivan • Science of Reading • Literacy Podcast and Jessica Farmer for hosting!
