Rebecca Treiman

Brett Kessler

Writing allows people to convey information to others who are remote in time and space, vastly increasing the range over which people can cooperate and the amount they can learn. Mastering the writing system of one's language is crucial for success in a modern society. This book examines how children learn to write words. It provides a theoretical framework that integrates findings from a wide range of age groups--from children who are producing their first scribbles to experienced spellers who are writing complex words. To set the stage for these discussions, early chapters of the book consider the nature of writing systems and the nature of learning itself. The following chapters review various aspects of orthographic development, including the learning of symbol shapes and punctuation. Each chapter reviews research with learners of a variety of languages and writing systems, revealing underlying similarities. Discussions of how orthography is and should be taught are incorporated into each chapter, making the book of interest to educators as well as to psychologists, cognitive scientists, and linguists. This book is unique in the range of topics and languages that it covers and the degree to which it integrates linguistic insights about the nature of writing systems with discussions of how people learn to use these systems. It is written in a scholarly yet accessible manner, making it suited for a wide audience.

How Children Learn to Write Words

Keith Denning

William R. Leben

English Vocabulary Elements draws on the tools of modern linguistics to help students acquire an effective understanding of learned, specialized, and scientific vocabulary. This fully refined and updated edition helps develop familiarity with over 500 Latin and Greek word elements in English and shows how these roots are the building blocks within thousands of different words. Along the way, the authors introduce and illustrate many of the fundamental concepts of linguistics, sketch word origins going back to Latin, Greek, and even Proto-Indo-European, and discuss issues around meaning change and correct usage. Moreover, the volume adds new illustrative examples, self-help tests, and study questions. A companion website provides supplementary materials including an Instructor's Manual with an answer key. Offering a thorough approach to the expansion of vocabulary, English Vocabulary Elements is an invaluable resource that provides students a deeper understanding of the language.

A Course in the Structure of English Words

English Vocabulary Elements

This unique text draws on the tools of modern linguistics to help the student acquire an effective understanding of learned, specialized, and scientific vocabulary. English Vocabulary Elements (EVE) helps develop familiarity with over 350 Latin and Greek word elements in English, and shows how these roots are the building blocks within thousands of different words. Along the way the authors introduce and illustrate many of the fundamental concepts of linguistics. Offering a thorough approach to the expansion of vocabulary, EVE is an invaluable resource that provides students a deeper understanding of the language. This book will be useful to upper level high school students, undergraduates in English, Linguistics, and Classics departments, ESL students, and anyone interested in building vocabulary skills. This edition is refined and thoroughly updated. It includes updated cultural references, and the authors have revised and improved the pedagogy based on classroom experience. In particular they account for variations in pronunciation among students; clarify when historical details are important or peripheral; and improve the many examples and exercises that form the core of the book.

Mastering the writing system of one's language is crucial for success in a modern society. This book examines how children learn to produce writing. It provides a novel theoretical framework that integrates findings from a wide range of age groups - from children who are producing their first scribbles to experienced spellers who are writing complex words. The book is unique in the range of topics and languages that it covers. Also unique is the way in which it integrates linguistic insights about the nature of writing systems with discussions of literacy development in children.

Brett Kessler

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