- English Language Arts and Reading
- Grade 3
- Developing and sustaining foundational language skills
demonstrate and apply spelling knowledge by:
spelling words using knowledge of suffixes, including how they can change base words such as dropping e, changing y to i, and doubling final consonants;
A teacher may wish to assess this SE following explicit instruction on SE 3.2.A.vi, decoding words using knowledge of suffixes, including how they can change base (e.g., stop + -ed = stopped and happy + -ly = happily). After students create new words by adding suffixes and appropriately changing the base word, have students spell different words with the same suffixes (e.g., bagged, mopped, luckily). Read aloud the list of different words and monitor and observe whether students accurately spell words with suffixes.
This assessment requires students to demonstrate and apply spelling knowledge in order to correctly spell words with suffixes. Students should understand how the use of a suffix can change base words such as dropping e, changing y to i, and doubling final consonants. Students should have phonetic knowledge of and experience examining word parts (base word + suffix) in order to correctly spell words with suffixes. This knowledge is acquired through practice and experience spelling words with a variety of suffixes.
Herrington, M. H., & Marry Macken-Horarik. (2015). Linguistically informed teaching of spelling: Toward a relationship approach. The Australian Journal of Language and Literacy, 38(2). Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Mary_Macken-horarik/publication/281377934_Linguistically_informed_teaching_of_Spelling_Toward_a_Relational_Approach/links/561d886e08ae50795afd80de.pdf
Summary: This study examines teachers' knowledge of morphemes and phonemes, and how building greater awareness of word components (a toolkit for teachers) can increase the success of spelling instruction. The authors note that not only teaching children to look closely at the parts of words, but for teachers to look closely and analyze children's morphemic spelling approximations can reveal children's thinking and, thus, lead to targeted instruction.