Studying online with fellow teachers and tutors is a wonderful way to build your understanding of English orthography. It is extremely valuable to undertake this work with a community of people who are dedicated to learning (and sometimes unlearning and relearning!). I offer a place to study, take risks, work through misunderstandings, and share the joyful successes you experience with your students.
SWI for Early Readers
In this workshop we will discuss:
Teaching Real Script
Based on a cursive script from the Renaissance, Real Script teaches the pathways of the Chancery hand. Using an ergonomically appropriate flowing motion, students learn to write with ease and legibility. Their script develops into its own comfortable form while maintaining proper pen hold and writing position.
For students who find the physical act of writing more challenging, script is often a way to alleviate their discomfort. Rather than working to emulate one ideal, adopting Real Script writing allows students to develop their own unique writing style from the start. Real Script is beautiful and honors the individuality of each writer.
In this workshop we will cover:
Intro to SWI
Structured Word Inquiry, or scientific word investigation, provides a lens through which we can understand the spelling of any English word. By understanding the interplay of morphology, etymology, and phonology, hidden connections between words rise to the surface to amaze and delight us.
Participants will learn to:
School Workshop – Intro to SWI
This course is perfect for teachers and tutors who have heard about SWI and want to know more. Learn how to bring spelling alive for all of your students, including those who struggle, and watch your own understanding of language transform, too.
Contact me to do this course as a full day workshop at your school.
Beyond the Intro: Word Studies
You’ve taken an intro course, and you’ve started to implement SWI in your work. Now you’re ready to dive a little deeper. This five-session course is part instruction and part study group. We will look more deeply at how to investigate words using word sums, matrices, and the “four questions.” We will practice using Etymonline, learning how to determine the root of a word as well as its relatives. There is time built into the course for questions and pursuing avenues of particular need and interest. The goal is to help you feel more confident investigating words on your own and with students.
SWI Study Groups (Continually running programs)
Study groups are available for more intense coaching and word study. We can work together on:
Much of our course work will be based on the words that come up in your investigations with students. Meeting with a coach and fellow scholars is one of the best ways to upgrade your own knowledge of orthography and to gain confidence in your practice.
Contact me if you’d like to start a new study group.
All of these classes are taught live. They will also be recorded and shared with you afterwards. Participants are welcome to watch via recording only. The registration is the same, just email me to confirm.
If you are interested in a class at a time other than those already scheduled, you are welcome to email me to propose another time slot. A class can run with at least four people.
To Get Started Working with Me