The Science of Deep Reading: Morphology, Syntax, and Meaning-Making – Virtual Morning

This two-day institute equips educators with the linguistic tools that go beyond phonics — giving students the vocabulary knowledge, morphological awareness, and decoding strategies they need to recognize multisyllabic words accurately, read fluently, and unlock meaning independently.

Presenters: Alison Leveque PhD, Dana Carr-Ford, MA, MsEd, Kinjal Nicholls, MA
Date: July 20-21, 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. (morning) ET
Location: Virtual
Audience: 3-8
Credits: NYCTLE credits – 3 hours per full-day workshop

Day 1: Vocabulary, Morphology, and Multisyllable Word Reading

On Day 1, you’ll build a strong word-level foundation by exploring how vocabulary knowledge and morphological awareness — including the systematic study of prefixes, suffixes, and roots — help students decode multisyllabic words with confidence and unlock meaning across content areas. Leave with a toolkit of program agnostic frameworks and templates for vocabulary instruction in any content area. In the afternoon, put learning into action by using those tools to plan a lesson that builds vocabulary routines, supports comprehension, and creates targeted opportunities for students to read and spell multisyllabic words fluently.

Key Learning Objectives:

• explain the role of vocabulary knowledge and morphological awareness in supporting accurate word recognition and deepening reading comprehension
• analyze words using prefixes, suffixes, and roots to determine meaning and support decoding of multisyllabic words
• apply instruction strategies to teach word parts, including modeling, guided practice, and structured routines for word analysis
• design opportunities for students to read and spell multisyllabic words fluently, integrating morphology-based decoding strategies
• develop a lesson plan that incorporates vocabulary instruction, morphology routines, and targeted fluency practices to strengthen both decoding and meaning-making

Day 2: Bridging Word Level Skills to Text Comprehension

Building directly on Day 1’s word-level foundation, Day 2 connects vocabulary and morphology instruction to the comprehension processes students need to construct meaning from complex texts — including making inferences, monitoring understanding, and synthesizing information. You’ll leave with a clear framework for integrating decoding, language, and comprehension into a unified structured literacy approach, along with comprehension scaffolds and strategies ready for immediate classroom use. In the afternoon, develop a fully planned, ready-to-implement lesson that includes specific teacher actions, a student practice plan, and exemplar student work to inform your feedback — so every student leaves your classroom a more strategic, independent reader.

 Key Learning Objectives:

• explain key comprehension processes, including making inferences, monitoring understanding, and synthesizing information, and their role in constructing meaning from complex text
• apply explicit, systematic instructional routines that support comprehension development
• integrate word-level skills (vocabulary, morphology, multisyllabic decoding) into text-based instruction to strengthen overall comprehension
• design structured opportunities for student practice and discourse that promote active meaning-making and strategic thinking during reading
• develop and refine a comprehensive lesson plan that includes modeling of comprehension strategies, aligned student tasks, and exemplar student responses to guide feedback and assessment