How Word Stories Unlock Meaning For Dyslexic Students!
By Rachel Moore, MD, Certified Dyslexia Practitioner
One of the ongoing struggles for our bright students with dyslexia is that even after they are able to read (decode) fairly fluently, their understanding or comprehension of what they have read tends to lag behind. They read the right words, but they miss out on the story. This is a result of so much attention and “brain power” being used in the process of reading.
One powerful solution to this comprehension dilemma is to teach students to recognize the units of meaning inside the words. They learn the word’s story. For example, “powerful = power + ful” or “full of power”. Seeing the “chunks” of meaning inside words shortens the process of decoding, makes meaning more accessible and frees up time for overall comprehension. This is especially important for those of us who read and spell English because many words in English appear “crazy” until you understand their origin. An excellent example would be the spelling of the word “two” which seems to have an extra “w” until you realize it is related to “twice”, “twin”, “twelve”, and “twenty”….oh!
An even deeper dive into a word can be taken using the process of Structured Word Inquiry (a process developed by Peter Bowers, PhD). Recently, one of our students had a question about the word “puckery” which came up in a book they were reading. The results were enlightening and led to the study of many related words as well as a discussion of how the “y” in this word is an adjective-forming suffix. The best part was realizing that “pucker” is related to Old English “poke” which meant “a sack or bag” and then as we pictured that bag…
…could that be a “pucker” at the top?? Your lips pucker…the bag puckers? It’s our working theory anyway- but, what an exciting way to learn about a word! We also traced “pucker”, which means “a wrinkle or fold in an otherwise smooth surface” back to connect with “pock” as in “pock marked” or “smallpox”!
Our students are often gifted at pattern recognition and enjoy the investigation that a word inquiry brings. Enthusiasm is a key element in the learning process and by empowering our students as “word detectives”, we can enhance their engagement in lessons. The meaning patterns that are established strengthen word recognition skills and expand vocabulary far beyond the original word to include many etymological relatives. Spelling patterns become clearer too, especially in cases where they may at first appear irregular. Word stories are a vital part of developing real comprehension in our dyslexic learners.
Oh, and you know how we found out that “pucker” is related to “pocketbook” or, said another way, “purse”? Well that connection can be found in the expression “He pursed his lips”! Do you think you will ever look at “pucker” the same way again? We certainly won’t.
