Pete Bowers

Dr. Pete Bowers, an advocate for structured word inquiry and founder of the WordWorks Literacy Center, dives into the fascinating world of morphology in spelling instruction. He clarifies why words labeled as 'irregular' often aren’t, highlighting the hidden logic of English spelling. Personal anecdotes showcase his transformative teaching journey, while he emphasizes the importance of understanding word structures over rote memorization. Bowers introduces interactive methods to grasp complex words and advocates for a meaning-based approach, making spelling more accessible to all learners.

Linnea Ehri, a distinguished professor known for her work on orthographic mapping, explains how morphemes bind spellings to meanings, enhancing sight word memory. Pete Bowers, an advocate of morphological binding theory, discusses how morphology connects orthography, phonology, and semantics, helping students grasp irregular words. Kenn Apel, an expert in morphological awareness, highlights assessment strategies and their importance in reading and spelling interventions. Together, they explore innovative ways to teach morphology and its critical role in literacy development.

Peter Bowers, creator of Structured Word Inquiry and expert on morphology and orthography, and Kim Murphy, speech-language pathologist researching spelling–comprehension links, discuss spelling as a meaning-based system. They explain matrices and word sums, show how morphology binds spelling and meaning, and describe interventions that boost memory, confidence, and reading comprehension.