Advancing Literacy & Morphology Skills Through the Orton-Gillingham Three-Part Drill
At Educational Pathways Academy, a private school for dyslexia and learning disabilities in Florida, we use the Orton-Gillingham (OG) approach to support students with learning disabilities in developing essential reading and spelling skills. A key component of the OG approach is morphology, which helps students break down and understand word structures. To effectively teach these concepts, our Orton-Gillingham teachers receive comprehensive training not only in the Orton-Gillingham approach but also in specialized morphology techniques.
Mastering Words Through Morphology
Morphology is the study of morphemes—the smallest units of meaning in language. These include prefixes, suffixes, root words, and base words. Teaching students to recognize and understand these word parts improves their decoding, spelling, and comprehension skills.
Let’s take a closer look at one of our dynamic Orton-Gillingham classes, where morphology is effectively taught through the three-part drill. In Mrs. Hila's Orton-Gillingham classes at our North Campus, students participate in this drill daily to strengthen their understanding and mastery of word components.
The Three-Part Drill
Visual Drill: Students practice recognizing morphemes by sight. The teacher presents morpheme cards, and students state the morphemes and their meanings. This step helps students visually recognize familiar word parts, such as prefixes like “un-” or suffixes like “-able.”
Auditory/Kinesthetic Drill: Understanding of morphemes is reinforced through both auditory and kinesthetic activities. The teacher first states the meaning of the morphemes, and students then write down the correct morphemes and say their meanings. This step helps students better understand and remember morphemes by combining what they hear with physical activities, making the learning process more engaging and effective.
Morphemic Analysis: Students deepen their understanding of morphemes through word analysis. The teacher presents words containing known morphemes, such as “telephone” or “photograph.” Students then break down these words into their morphemes, like “t-e-l-e” plus “ph-o-n-e” forming “telephone,” and say the meanings. This step reinforces their comprehension of how morphemes combine to create words and how they influence spelling and meaning, enhancing their understanding of word structure.
How Morphology Supports Students with Learning Disabilities
Students with learning disabilities often struggle with decoding and understanding the meaning of words due to difficulties with phonics and word structure.
Morphology provides essential support by breaking words down into their smaller, meaningful units. This approach helps students make connections between word parts and their meanings, making it easier for them to decode unfamiliar words, improve spelling, and enhance overall comprehension. By focusing on how words are built, morphology gives students the tools they need to overcome these challenges and build stronger reading and spelling skills.
