As speech-language pathologists, we see this all the time: Students who can decode sounds but struggle with spelling, their vocabulary growth feels slow, and reading comprehension stalls even when phonological awareness has been addressed. Too often, spelling is treated as a rote task instead of a language-rich opportunity to strengthen meaning, sound, and structure all at once. When spelling doesn’t make sense, students guess. When it does make sense, everything else starts to click.
That’s why we invited Katie E. Squires, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, and literacy expert Lisa Barnett, BS.Ed., to talk about Structured Word Inquiry and the logic behind English spelling. In these short video clips, they unpack why “sounding it out” falls short, what a structured framework for spelling really looks like, and how morphological analysis can boost spelling, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and reading simultaneously. Watch the highlights below, then join us for the full presentation and earn CEUs.
Why “sounding it out” may not be the best reading strategy and how this misconception has persisted for so long.
What is a structured framework to teach spelling that feels empowering rather than overwhelming?
How teaching students to analyze words morphologically boosts spelling, vocabulary, phonological awareness, and reading.
Want to hear the full story and earn CEUs?
Check out this course: Demystifying English Spelling: Finding the Logic Within Words
For speech-language pathologists, spelling is far more than a written skill. How students understand and analyze words directly impacts vocabulary growth, phonological awareness, and reading development. Yet spelling instruction is often reduced to memorization or “sounding it out,” leaving students confused by words like one, two, and does. When spelling feels arbitrary, students struggle to connect meaning, sound, and structure. This session positions spelling as a powerful clinical tool, showing how explicit instruction in morphology, orthography, phonology, and etymology strengthens multiple language domains at once.
Join Katie E. Squires, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, and literacy expert Lisa Barnett, BS.Ed., as they guide you through Structured Word Inquiry and the science behind English spelling. Through practical examples and research-based strategies, they show how to move students from memorization to investigation, building confident spellers who understand why words are spelled the way they are. Watch the short videos, then join us for the full presentation to transform how you teach spelling and literacy.
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