This six-week class (30-40 hours) will provide participants an overview of Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) and how to begin to use SWI to provide remediation. SWI provides a logical process, based on linguistics, for analyzing and developing an understanding of the underlying structure of the spelling of English words. Developing true understanding of spellings will assist students with reading and spelling. SWI is instruction that assists ALL students, those with or without dyslexia.

Requirements:

Participants will learn how to support students through word investigations to understand the spelling of any English word so instructors no longer utter, “Well, English is just crazy, you will have to memorize that word?” Each week participants will watch recorded narrated PowerPoints on specific topics, complete assignments, and interact with instructors via discussion boards. Every two weeks participants will be invited to participate in a live Qu&A session. All live sessions are recorded and posted on the virtual classroom site for participants unable to attend live sessions.

What To Expect:

• You will learn that English is not crazy and how to find the sense in it.


• You will learn how to find the sense of so-called ‘sight words’.


• You will learn about the interrelationship between morphology, etymology and phonology.


• You will understand the difference between spoken and written syllables.


• You will learn why teaching spelling and reading via a syllable model for written words can be problematic.


• You will learn how to conduct word hypothesis and create word sums


• You will learn how Latin, Greek, Old English & French impact English


• Upon completion participants will be invited to a private, moderated, Facebook discussion page where you can ask questions and work as a community to answer those questions.

What Not To Expect:

• We will not provide you with a scripted program.


• We will not be able answer every question about every word.


• We will not give you a predetermined path for you to take with your students.