The Dollar General Literacy Foundation has awarded FREE a $50,000 grant to support morphology word work through the upcoming summer literacy institute and subsequent regional professional learning community meetings during the 2023-2024 school year.
Over 200 educators from seven districts will participate in four days of literacy professional learning that will result in higher rates of reading proficiency for students. Approximately 150 participants will be classroom educators with an average of 20 students each for an impact on at least 3000 students.
Morphology word work will be included as an in-depth approach to improving reading for low-performing students. Schools complete an application process that encourages teams of teachers from multiple grade levels (K-5), including an administrator and instructional coach who will monitor and optimize implementation during the school year. During the 4-day summer institute, teachers will improve their knowledge and skills in all strands of Florida's B.E.S.T Standards (Foundations, Reading, Communication, and Vocabulary).
In an effort to support classrooms in 2023-24, additional morphology resources will be placed into K-5 classrooms. Because morphological awareness is a predictor of reading and writing skills, teachers need resources that can provide quick, but explicit instruction. Integration of these materials in daily instruction will provide students with multiple opportunities to identify and use base words and affixes to determine the meaning of unfamiliar words. Applying knowledge of Greek and Latin roots in grades 3-5 will assist students in connecting parts of speech and meanings of multisyllabic words.
This grant will provide teachers with materials for daily classroom use. Throughout the 2023-24 school year, teachers will participate in regional learning communities facilitated by NEFEC to continue building lessons using morphology as a vehicle for improving literacy outcomes for all students.
