When and Where Did I Find It: I found this in the reading I selected for the reciprocal teaching project:
Kieffer, M.J. & Lesaux, N.K. (2007). Breaking down words to build meaning: Morphology, vocabulary, and reading comprehension in the urban classroom. The Reading Teacher, 61(2), 134-144.
What It Means: According to the reading morphology is "...the study of the structure of words, particularly the smallest units of meaning in words: morphemes." (p.137)
Level of Familiarity: I have taken LTED 609, and one of our books was on phonics and the root of words. I have heard the word morphemes before and know that they are the smallest unit of a word. I am not sure if I actually learned the word morphology or that there was a study of them. I know that linguist most likely studied them, I guess I never knew there was a specific -logy for it.
Do I Want to Know This Word Well and Why? Morphemes and the overall topic of phonics was something before my literacy journal, I didn't think I needed to know as a special ed and social studies teacher. I didn't think that high school students would need to know what a morpheme is or that I would need to know how to teach it. I went to a school where everyone was pretty smart (or so it seemed) and I figured the rest of the world was like Lansing, NY. Boy I was wrong, I have quickly learned I had a world-class education. After student teaching I realized I didn't have the background knowledge to help students read and write. I didn't know how to teach that. My graduate degree (hopefully one day I'll have it) is helping me realize how important phonics is in secondary education. So of course, (long story-short) I want to know morphology and how to apply it in my classroom.
Do I Think Others Should Know This Word Well...if so WHO and WHY? Can I just say ditto for what I said above? Yes! Teachers especially us in the secondary content areas need to understand how important Morphology is, along with phonics,for fostering comprehension. I have had the chance to sub in three different districts in the Rochester-Area----doesn't matter how old or young students are----reading and writing and comprehending is an issue and it's a problem that many students are taking to college with them. Us teachers have to understand the important role we play as content and phonics teachers.
Great minds do think alike because we definitely used the same word. I also think that morphology is an essential part to vocabulary development and comprehension. Students need to be able to understand how to break words down in order to help them figure out what the word means. Great choice for a word.
ReplyDeleteI agree Carrie (and Heather). Word Study should be seen as a foundational component of MS/HS content area instruction. Perhaps your professional efforts will help to change the profession!
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