Book Title: Language Foundations Handbook

Book Description

This Open Education Resource is a handbook for educators of Grades 4-8 seeking to incorporate spelling, grammar, and vocabulary in their literacy programs. Teacher candidates, classroom teachers, support personnel, and literacy tutors can all benefit from the linguistic information and classroom applications suggested. The handbook is intended to provide foundational knowledge and teaching strategies in response to the Language Foundations for Reading and Writing component of the Ontario Curriculum: Language (2023).

This resource is not a prescribed, lesson-by-lesson program to use as a classroom text. Educators bring varied background knowledge and experience to word study, and the needs of each classroom differ widely. Therefore, we offer specific information about the underlying structures of spelling, grammar, and vocabulary along with engaging classroom ideas and online resources. It is up to educators to decide what strategies best address the needs of the students in their classes.

The chapters are organized by the umbrella topics of Spelling, Vocabulary, Sentences, and Parts of Speech. These divisions often overlap, since word study concepts are closely intertwined. Building student knowledge in areas such as prefixes, base words, and suffixes, for example, will enhance not just reading but also oral vocabulary and writing.

Suggestions for teaching include addressing word study across curriculum areas, whole class explicit instruction, small group application, and individual student support. A recurring theme is the importance of teachers assessing student needs through ongoing formative assessment in the context of authentic literacy tasks. They are then able to tailor their support to the identified needs of their students.