Introduction to word inquiry
What are you thinking?
What connections are you making?
How could this help with developing understanding?
Grammar?
Meaning?
Vocabulary development?
Introduction to word inquiry
A basic overview of the process and thinking behind Word Inquiry
Finding meaning in words
Use an online etymology resource
A system for improving spelling
Hypothesising:
Base + affix
The use of matrixes and word sums
Build your own matrix
Resources
Please open:
http://www.neilramsden.co.uk/spelling/searcher/
https://padlet.com/kirstendurward/kdpdwordmatrixes
Any online dictionary
What is word inquiry?
The scientific investigation of the spelling of words:
the study of the structure and content of word forms- morphology,
the study of the history of words - etymology,
the sound systems of particular languages - phonology
According to Pete Bowers (WordsWorkskingston)
‘The guiding principles of SWI are
(1) "the primary function of English spelling is to represent meaning"
(2) "conventions by which English spelling represents meaning are so well-ordered and reliable that spelling can be investigated and understood through scientific inquiry."’
What benefits might this have for your learners?
To explore through word inquiry
Meaning - what does the word mean?
Structure - how is the word built?
Relatives - which other words are related to it?
History - what is the history of the word?
Sounds - what sounds are in this word?
Civilisation
What does the word mean?
human society with its well developed social organizations, or the culture and way of life of a society or country at a particular period in time (Cambridge dictionary online)
How is the word built?
Civil + ise + ate + ion
(for suffixes ending in e when joining we slash the e)
What other words are related to it?
Civil, civilian, civilly, civilised, civilising, uncivilised
What is the history of the word?
from Latin civilis "relating to a society, pertaining to public life, relating to the civic order, befitting a citizen’
What sounds are in the word?
The C is soft as it is followed by an i
Base + Affixes
The base is what gives the word it’s original meaning
There are bound bases
e.g. loc, quire
And free bases
e.g. pose, civil, term
A few words have double bases
e.g. astronaut
Base + Affixes
The affixes
change the structure of the word
change the meaning of the word
change the part of speech of the word
Prefix is added before the base
Suffix is added after the base
(an inquiry into the meaning of affixes is interesting, as is an inquiry into which suffixes are noun forming, verb forming etc)
Let’s start!
Open https://www.etymonline.com/
http://www.neilramsden.co.uk/spelling/searcher/
https://padlet.com/kirstendurward/kdpdwordmatrixes
Any online dictionary
Education
What does the word mean?
the process of teaching or learning, especially in a school or college, or the knowledge that you get from this (Cambridge online dictionary)
How is the word built?
Educ + ate + ion
E + duc + ate + ion
What other words are related to it?
Educator, educating, educationist, educational, educated, educates, educators, educationalist, educational
What is the history of the word?
From the latin educare from proto indo european - base is probably duc
What sounds are in the word?
Matrixes and word sums
Word sums
pose + ed = posed
pose + ing = posing
com + pose = compose
Com + pose + ed = composed
Com + pose + ing = composing
Com + pose + ite + ion = composition
Pose + ite = ion = position
Pose + ite + ion + s = positions
Pose + ite + ion + ing = positioning
De + com + pose + ite + ion = decomposition
Tap your word sums in the chat
Make a matrix - neilramsden.org
Share your matrix on the padlet
Younger children
Questions and comments?
Resources to use
Etymonline.com
Wordsworkskingston.com
Realspellers.org
neilramsden.co.uk
Tailored and Constructed workshops
Inquiry Learning
Assessment Based Practice
Transdisciplinary Learning
Concept Based Learning
Mathematical Inquiry
Developing Writers
Coaching Strategies
Contact me
Twitter: @learnerfocused
Email: kirstendurwardpd@gmail.com
LinkedIn: Kirsten Durward
Groups: Global Educator Collective (GEC)
Teachers on the Move Internationally (TOMI)
PYP Coordinators