ABSTRACT
Identifying root words and affixes helps to develop readers’ awareness and ability with phonological skills. It heightens their consciousness of the beginning, middle and endings of words as well as the basic spelling elements and patterns. Those with good visual skills learn by grafting on affixes to root words and by memorising the word patterns. Strong verbalisers and those with good auditory and language skills deepen their understanding of word structure and spelling when using and learning the meanings of Anglo-Saxon, Greek and Latin derivatives. The use of multi-sensory strategies helps to compensate for poor visual skills, as well as helping those with poor phonological skills. Those who have good kinaesthetic skills learn by counting and dividing words into roots, prefixes and suffixes; they can then synthesise these syllables into words when reading and spelling.
