Cites a number of references from linguists and other researchers about the relative unimportance of knowing where to divide words according to rules. Offers alternative ideas for teaching syllabication. (FL)

Suggests using a compare/contrast strategy to teach students to read polysyllabic words. (MKM)

Describes a teaching unit on portmanteau words, such as "smog" and "petrodollars," which are created by truncating two words. (SJL)

Intended to help students improve their vocabulary and spelling skills, this booklet offers activities on synonyms, antonyms, homonyms (including homophones and homographs), and acronyms. It is suggested that the teacher present these types of words as members of the "Nym Family." Ideas for posters and books to be used as instructional…

This compact book aims to help teachers in need of new ideas in early childhood phonics. It offers a collection of word study activities for the progressive classroom using the tool of magnetic letters. Adding just enough theory to make the author/educator's point, the book shows how this simple tool can support the teaching of letters and sounds…

Introduces the use of word sorts as a way of helping children categorize words in helpful ways. (TJ)

Proposes feature analysis, which actively involves students in the learning process, capitalizes on their experiential backgrounds, and uses context as a means of teaching sensitivity to word connotations. (FL)

A spelling study expert offers the following strategies for teaching elementary students to spell: making word-sorting games that categorize words by shared characteristics; playing letter-sequencing games; examining how root words and affixes combine to form new words; making spelling meaningful; and linking spelling study with editing and…

Creative ways of teaching alphabetizing, spelling, identifying parts of speech, and using reference works are offered. (DF)

Notes that teaching techniques used to "build" vocabulary are not based on the ways most people acquire vocabulary. Discusses the problems and possibilities of expanding students' language usage. (RL)

Extending the editors' system for word study, this book presents essays by scholars and practitioners who explore letter and word learning in a variety of reading, writing, and language contexts in the primary classroom, with articles that range from detailed observations of individual readers and writers to full-scale analyses of classroom…

The package presents a training approach for increasing test-taking skills of learning disabled (LD) and behaviorally disordered (BD) children along with a research study illustrating the approach's effectiveness with 92 LD or BD elementary students. The approach focuses on such strategies as attending to appropriate stimuli, marking answers…

Based on the research on invented and developmental spelling, this book provides a practical way for teachers to study words with students. The framework of the book is keyed to the five stages of spelling or orthographic development so that it complements the use of any existing phonics, spelling, and vocabulary curriculums. The book presents…

This paper explores the patterns and processes used by adult students of English as a second language (ESL) when they guess at the meanings of nonsense words in a reading text. The findings suggest that while word-unit processing is a major component of both first- and second-language reading, a major difference between first- and second-language…

Provides an overview of three major categories of reading skills (word identification, comprehension, and rate) and of two basic types of study skills (those involving the location of information through reading and those involving organization of information) and shows how the skills are related to each other. (GT)