24. Morphology Roundtable with Sarah Paul, Savannah Campbell, and Michelle Sullivan

In this episode of the Literacy in Color podcast, Michelle Sullivan, Sarah Paul, and Savannah Campbell join forces for a morphology roundtable discussion! They’re answering some of your most pressing morphology questions from social media:

• Why does teaching morphology matter?
• When should we begin teaching morphology, and how can it be introduced to younger learners in developmentally appropriate ways?
• What is a Word Matrix? What are Word Sums?
• Is there a specific scope and sequence we should follow? 
• Do you use the word “morpheme” with your students?
• What might a morphology lesson look like in action? Step-by-step?

They not only share practical strategies & suggestions for teaching morphology, but they also provide recommended resources to help you deepen your knowledge about morphology as well.

If you enjoyed this conversation, check out Michelle, Sarah & Savannah at the upcoming Unlocking SOR Conference this March 2025!

Resources Mentioned:

• Savannah’s Book Recommendation: Everything You Want to Know & Exactly Where to Find It by William Van Cleave
• Sarah’s Book Recommendation: Beneath the Surface of Words: What English Spelling Reveals and Why It Matters By Sue Hegland
• Michelle’s Book Recommendation: Teaching How the Written Word Works By Peter Bowers
• Sarah’s Morphology Blog: Understanding Morphology: Part 1
• Sarah’s Morphology Blog: Teaching Morphology to Beginning Readers
• Savannah’s Morphology Resource: Morphology Interactive Notebooks Bundle
• Michelle’s Morphology Resource: Greek and Latin Root of the Week Posters BUNDLE
• Michelle’s IG Posts - Breaking Down the Made-Up Words in Wicked (Part 1 & Part 2)
• Morphology Meta-Analysis: “The effects of morphological instruction on literacy skills: A systematic review of the literature” - Bowers, Kirby, & Deacon (2010) *Lives behind a paywall.

This post may contain affiliate links, which means if you click on a link and make a purchase, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting the podcast!

Other Helpful Resources:

• Michelle’s FREE Word Matrix & Word Sums Template
• Michelle’s Latin Word Matrices Bundle
• Michelle’s MEGA Morphology Growing Bundle
• Michelle’s FREE Guide: Phonics & Morphology Terms Every Teacher Needs to Know
• Word Works Kingston Website about Structured Word Inquiry (Pete Bowers)
• FREE: Morphology Matters by William Van Cleave
• Etymonline
• Neil Ramsden FREE Mini Matrix-Maker

Connect with Sarah Paul:

• Website
• Instagram
• TPT Store

Connect with Savannah Campbell:

• Podcast: Creating Readers with Savannah Campbell
• Website
• Instagram
• TPT Store

Connect with Me:

• Follow me on Instagram: @michelle_thecolorfulclassroom & @logosliteracyacademy
• Join our Facebook Community
• Sign up for my Newsletter
• Shop on TPT: The Colorful Classroom
• Visit: www.michelleandthecolorfulclassroom.com
• Join The COLORFUL Literacy Toolkit Membership

Interested in Learning More about Morphology?

• Take our Course: Mastering Morphology: Foundations for Every Educator