Spelling's role in reading and vocabulary

Listen to three of the most important voices in literacy, Linnea Ehri, Peter Bowers and Kenn Apel, talk about the important role of morphology in reading, vocabulary, spelling and sight word development. 

Linnea Ehri updates her theory of orthographic mapping to emphasize the role that morphology plays not just in the four initial phases but when words are stored in sight word memory directly - without needing to be sounded out. The spelling of morphemes is critical to developing sight words and becomes the predominate way that words enter sight word memory. She points out that morphemes - the meaningful core of every word - have consistent spelling patterns that help readers resolve sound-symbol conflicts and is critical for learning so-called irregular words like go, goes, gone, do, does, done and say, says and said.

Ehri credits Peter Bowers and Sue Hegland, author of Beneath the Surface of Words, for helping her understand the role of morphology in orthographic mapping. Pete and Kenn Apel then enter the discussion, clarifying what morphology is and how it influences spelling, word meaning and vocabulary growth. 

Links:

Article on inquiry vs. direct instruction Pete Bowers mentioned:

de Jong et. al (2023) Let's talk evidence – The case for combining inquiry-based and direct instruction,

Educational Research Review, 39, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.edurev.2023.100536.

Click HERE for a video The Nested Combinatorial Structure of English Spelling: Binding the pronunciations, spelling and meanings of words (Bowers & Foley, 2025) (approx 15 min)

Click HERE for a video of Pete’s presentation “Morphology Instruction and Language Comprehension” for the Reading League Summit 2025.  (approx 15 min)

Click HERE Pete’s video “The Matrix Matters Because Language is Combinatorial” for the Dyslexia Training Institute” for the 9th Annual Dyslexia Virtual Conference of the Dyslexic Training Institute. (approx 60 min)

Bowers, P.N. & Kirby, J.R. (2010) Effects of Morphological instruction on Vocabulary Acquisition, Reading and Writing: An Interdisciplinary Journal, 23, 515–537.

Kirby, J. R. & Bowers, P. N. (2017). Morphological instruction and literacy:  Binding phonological, orthographic, and semantic features of words. In K. Cain, D. Compton, & R. Parrila, (Eds.), Theories of reading development. Amsterdam, NL: John Benjamins Publishing Company.

See Sue Hegland’s website “Learning About Spelling” to find a link for her book, “Beneath the Surface of Words” and many free resources including multiple blog posts and videos of presentations that are very clarifying.

The Science of Spelling and Why It Matters for Literacy—March 2025

• Morphological Awareness and Written Language—January 2023