AGIS 2020

This presentation will trace the English language from its origin to its current complexity. Historical milestones will be addressed of the development of English from the Celts and invasion of Rome, to Shakespeare and the publication of dictionaries. Teachers will be better prepared to help students appreciate the influences of other languages (e.g., Anglo-Saxon, Latin, Greek, French), and how English spelling really does make sense. In addition, some explanations of using the knowledge of phonology and morphology will be provided to support spelling skills for students with dyslexia. Often, English spelling is considered an outlier (Share, 2008), or "crazy" (King, 2000), and if spelling is addressed, there are still teachers who give students a list of unrelated words at the beginning of the week and test students on the words at the end of the week. English is not only predictable and logical, but according to Venezky (1980), spelling is the foundation of reading. Learning the history of the language of English, and understanding the phonology, morphology, and orthography of words, is critical in acquiring spelling and reading (Henry, 1988; Moats, 1995), and making sense of the English language for all learners.

Outcomes:
This presentation will trace the English language from its origin to its current complexity, so teachers will be better prepared to help students, including those with dyslexia, understand how English spelling really does make sense.