B2.3. Using Morphological Knowledge
Morphology is the study of the structure and parts of words, focusing on understanding and manipulating morphemes, the smallest units of meaning. Developing morphological knowledge helps students to spell and read longer and more complex words. It is also important for vocabulary development.
Throughout all grades, students learn that
- Words consist of bases that convey meaning
- Bases can be modified with affixes (prefixes and suffixes) to change the meaning of the word
- Adding affixes can also change the word’s:
- function or role in a sentence (e.g. changing a verb to a noun);
- pronunciation (e.g. medic vs. medicine);
- spelling (e.g. hop vs. hopping, divide vs. division)
NOTE: The B2 Foundations of Language Continuum highlights some specific morphemes that should be explicitly taught to enhance reading and writing proficiency.
During Grade 1, the focus was on:
Prefixes:
- un–
- re–
- in–
- dis-
Suffixes:
- –ing
- –er / -or
- –est
- -ly
Three common suffixing patterns:
- Doubling
- E-drop
- Changing y to i
Using compounding to join bases (e.g. note + book = notebook)
New for Grade 2:
Prefixes
- pre–
- de–
- a– (schwa)
- co–
- uni–
- bi–
- tri–
- mis–
- dis–
Suffixes
- –ion
- –ure
- –er
- –or
- –ist
- –ish
- –y
- –ness
- –less
- –able/ –ible
- –ful
Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all expectations in this strand. For a more detailed view, please see the official Ontario curriculum.
Instructional Routine and Suggestions
Integrating morphology into daily teaching for Grade 2 students can be highly effective when it’s seamlessly woven into various aspects of the school day. Here are some strategies to integrate morphology consistently:
Morning Routine
Word of the Day (5 minutes):
Introduce a new word each day that includes a base element, prefix, or suffix.
Discuss its meaning, break it into its morphological parts, and use it in a sentence.
Morning Message:
Write a short message or story on the board that includes several morphologically rich words.
Have students identify and underline the base element, prefixes, and suffixes.
Structured Literacy Block
Reading Time:
While reading stories or texts, pause to highlight words with prefixes, suffixes, or base element.
Discuss how these parts change the meaning of the words.
Word Work:
Set up different focused, purposeful activities focused on the morphemes already explicitly taught, such as:
- sorting words by base element, prefix, or suffix
- creating new words by adding prefixes or suffixes to base elements
- matching games with bases and affixes
Writing
Daily Writing:
Encourage students to use words with prefixes or suffixes in their daily writing. Have them underline the morphological parts and explain their meanings.
Sentence Building:
Provide students with base elements and a list of prefixes and suffixes.
Have them create sentences using the new words they form.
Content Areas
Math Vocabulary:
Introduce and break down math vocabulary words that have prefixes, suffixes, or base elements (e.g. triangle → tri + angle)
Discuss how understanding these parts can help with understanding the concepts.
Subject-Specific Vocabulary (i.e. Science, Health, Art, Social-Studies):
Highlight and discuss morphological components of new vocabulary words in science and social studies.
Review & Reinforcement
End-of-Day Review:
Have a quick review session where students share new words they learned during the day that include morphological parts.
Encourage them to use these words in a sentence.
Weekly Morphology Challenge:
At the end of the week, have a fun quiz or challenge where students identify and use words with prefixes, suffixes, and base elements.
Visual Aids & Scaffolds
Morphology Wall/Anchor Chart:
Create a wall in the classroom with sections for base elements, prefixes, and suffixes. Review parts often in isolation and when reading and writing words. Add new parts as they are introduced.
Interactive Notebooks:
Have students maintain interactive notebooks where they can glue or write down new words, break them into their morphological parts, and write sentences using them.
By consistently integrating morphology into daily activities, students will develop a strong understanding of word structures, which will aid their reading, writing, and overall language development.
Further Reading
- How Spelling Supports Reading (Moats, 2006)
- Morphological Awareness Strategies for the General and Special Education Classroom: A Vehicle for Vocabulary Enhancement (Ebers, 2017)
- Evidence Challenges Teaching Words by “Sight” (Moats, 2020)
- Morphological Awareness: One Part of the Literacy Pie (Apel & Soper, 2020)
Suggested Resources
- ONlit Foundations Overview Morphology
- ONlit Morphology Learning Module: Why Morphology Matters (1 hour to complete)
- Morphology Slide Decks
- Morphology Resource Kit
- Search “Morphology” in the Resource Library for more!
