{photo credit: All About Learning Press}
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Today we have another great resource to share with our readers on the subject of Spelling. Many of our families are using All About Spelling in the younger grades and are already familiar with this multi-sensory, phonogram-based, exceptional program. Our students are also very familiar with Latin roots, and here is where the two come together! We hope you’ll appreciate this approach that uses Latin roots to help teach how to spell longer words.
Marie Rippel, the author and publisher of All About Spelling, recently shared the following article on her blog, and gave us permission to share it with our readers as well:
Today I’d like to share with you an interesting way to teach your children how to spell longer words with Latin roots.
How do Latin roots help with spelling? Think about the Latin root scrib/script. This root means to write. When you add prefixes and suffixes to the root, you can create many new words that all have something to do with writing: subscriber, scripture, inscribed, description, postscript, prescription, scribbling, unscripted.
My favorite way to teach the spelling of these words is with Word Trees. A Word Tree consists of a tree-shaped chart to help your child generate words that include a Latin root. Students discover that prefixes, roots, and suffixes can be combined in multiple ways.
Download some sample Word Trees to see what I mean.
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Here’s how to use the Word Trees:
1. Download and print the Word Trees.
2. Use the chart for each tree like a “cheat sheet” for your student as he generates words that include the Latin root. He’ll discover that prefixes, roots, and suffixes can be combined in multiple ways. If it is helpful to your student, you can cut apart the word parts so they can be manipulated.
3. Write each new word on one of the tree branches. See how many words your child can create with each Latin root.
Join me on the blog for additional information on this topic, including a sample Latin Roots lesson plan from All About Spelling Level 7. Let me know if this has been helpful to you!
Marie Rippel
For more resources for teaching reading and spelling, please visit www.AllAboutLearningPress.com, home of the All About Spelling and All About Reading programs (c) 2015 All About Learning Press, Inc. Reprinted with permission.
What a fantastic idea – this comes from one of their advanced level books, but if you have an older student who could use a spelling boost, or even a younger student who can understand how to do this, give it a try! This might be a great supplement for you, or a fun change at the end of the school year when you finish your spelling book. It’s also encouraging to see what the higher levels of AAS are doing, if you are considering continuing with the program!
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