What you are going to learn

Course description

We need to develop our students’ fundamental literacy skills and we also want to teach them to think critically. The current research around best practice in the teaching of reading and spelling points to the need for explicit teaching of both phonics and morphology, across all grades. And when we teach students about morphology it enables us to highlight the connections which exist between words which directly strengthens their vocabulary.
Can we teach explicitly in an environment that values an inquiry-based approach? Absolutely! Explicit teaching and inquiry are often said to be polar opposites but of course they’re not. Having students map a comprehensive bank of letter-sound correspondences as well as prefixes, bases and suffixes is vital, as is teaching them how to use these elements to build words. It’s knowing when to be explicit and what to be explicit about, and when to step back that is the key. Empowering students with the necessary skills and understanding through explicit teaching allows them to successfully engage in inquiry as they master and make connections between previously unknown words.  
In this 2 day workshop participants will:

1. • deepen their own understanding of how ‘words work’ - how our English orthography reflects an interrelation of
1. morphology (meaning-based word building blocks)
2. phonology (sounds in a word) and
3. etymology (history of the word)
2. • understand the power of the morpheme (bases, prefixes and suffixes) for deepening comprehension and strengthening vocabulary
3. • be better informed about the complexity of letter-sound relationships, knowing phonics goes well beyond the early years
4. • encounter the research into best literacy practices
5. • learn how and what to teach explicitly, gathering practical ideas including key tools and techniques to use in the classroom
6. • use authentic children’s literature as one important source of word study
7. • use the process of scientific inquiry to follow an investigation from start to finish
8. • discover how word inquiry is transdisciplinary and can strengthen learning in all subject areas, with all students
9. • learn how to provide a supportive environment which not only develops skills but also fosters curiosity about how words work

engage with activities you can immediately use with your students
Fiona Hamilton:

• Fiona Hamilton runs wordtorque, guiding teachers to develop the knowledge and skills needed to build their students’ spelling, reading and vocabulary across all subject areas, within a framework that supports agency in critical thinking. She works closely with schools to embed Word Inquiry into their curriculum and their way of thinking. Fiona has worked in Asia since the early ‘90s after beginning her teaching career in Australia. In addition to 12 years of administrative experience, she has also had the opportunity to teach Grade 1 through Grade 5 (classroom and Learning Support), write some children’s books, and coach teachers in literacy strategies. Fiona has recently worked with Rebecca Loveless to produce The High Frequency Word Project. She holds an MEd (administration) and an MEd (literacy) as well as Literacy Coaching certification.
  

  Audience: This workshop is intended for K-12 educators interested in
  • understanding more about English orthography (our writing system at the word level) and
  • learning how to implement this with their students to boost their reading fluency, spelling skills and vocabulary acquisition
  The examples will come from a range of ages showing how this approach is applicable across divisions. School leaders interested in learning about a school-wide, inquiry-based approach to word study are encouraged to join.

Certificate: E-certificate signed by Fiona Hamilton will be issued 5 working days after the workshop.

Registration Fee:  USD 600 (RMB 4350) per participant
Group Deal:           USD 560 (RMB 4150) per participant for 5 or more participants
Early Bird：           USD 560 (RMB 4150) before 30/06/2024

Refund Policy:
Refunds for the workshop may only be issued if cancelled by the Workshop leader(for reasons beyond her control) and we failed to find a suitable time for most of participants; or registered participant informs IES he/she is not able to show up before 30/06/2024;
If there is insufficient registration before 20/08/2024 the IES will inform participants of the cancellation and refund the actual paid registration fee only.