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This article explores primary school teachers’ views and practices in literacy instruction to support students’ word knowledge development. This study provides insights into how primary school teachers with a deep interest in literacy understand and apply the literacy strategies they employ in their classrooms, and how previous professional development has influenced and contributes to their practice. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with six expert teachers, as well as classroom observations, the results highlight rich metalinguistic learning journeys. Themes generated from the data include: use of a range of tools and strategies to support students’ linguistic understanding brought about by impactful professional development experiences; use of a range of assessment techniques to drive instruction; and a supportive mentoring culture for teachers’ development of word knowledge. The findings suggest that experienced teachers recognise that English language learning can be a complex process, especially when it comes to the written form. Therefore, it was evident that the interrelationship of phonology, orthography, morphology and etymology played a crucial role in teaching for understanding of the language and its structure. This article highlights the importance of four linguistic elements and their role on learning English in the primary classroom, particularly in the context of spelling, writing and reading development.

This article explores primary school teachers' views and practices in literacy instruction to support students' word knowledge development. This study provides insights into how primary school teachers with a deep interest in literacy understand and apply the literacy strategies they employ in their classrooms, and how previous professional development has influenced and contributes to their practice. Drawing from semi-structured interviews with six expert teachers, as well as classroom observations, the results highlight rich metalinguistic learning journeys. Themes generated from the data include: use of a range of tools and strategies to support students' linguistic understanding brought about by impactful professional development experiences; use of a range of assessment techniques to drive instruction; and a supportive mentoring culture for teachers' development of word knowledge. The findings suggest that experienced teachers recognise that English language learning can be a complex process, especially when it comes to the written form. Therefore, it was evident that the interrelationship of phonology, orthography, morphology and etymology played a crucial role in teaching for understanding of the language and its structure. This article highlights the importance of four linguistic elements and their role on learning English in the primary classroom, particularly in the context of spelling, writing and reading development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mysterious word “Michtam”: The Hebrew word מִכְתָּם appears six times in the Hebrew Bible and it only occurs in the book of Psalms at the beginning of the chapter (16:1, 56:1, 57:1, 58:1, 59:1, 60:1). This Hebrew word has been understood differently. For instances, PONS Kompaktwörterbuch Althebräisch (2015) leaves it untranslated, while the other sources translate מִכְתָּם as inscription, prayer, or song. Two of the most notable Hebrew lexica, and Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT), state that the meaning of מִכְתָּם is unknown. Modern English Bible translations also differ in their translations of מִכְתָּם. Most English Bible translations transliterate this Hebrew word (like NIV, NASB, KJV, Berean Study Bible, Christian Standard Bible, American Standard Version, JPS Tanakh 1917, and HCSB), while the NLT, ESV, International Standard Version, and New Revised Standard Version leave מִכְתָּם untranslated. This article, therefore, seeks to decipher the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם within its literary context and provides textual criticism. This article limits its discussion to Origen’s Hexapla because the consistent translation of Greek Aquila and Greek Symmachus contributes to unveiling the meaning of מִכְתָּם. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The study employed a combination of biblical studies and linguistics. Thus, this article shows the application of a comparative linguistic approach to interpret the word מִכְתָּם.

IntroductionDiwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani demands special attention and research from various perspectives, due to its antiquity as well as the remarkable mastery of its author in poetic devices. However, it has not yet received serious examination in literary studies, evidently because there has been no printed version available. Among its many remarkable features is the inclusion of some rare words that cannot be found in other Persian manuscripts, or have not been listed in common Persian dictionaries, or if listed, are presented with no reliable evidence. The authors of this article aim to investigate these unexplored words. Literature ReviewIn 1934, a facsimile edition of Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani was published in London by Edward Edwards. This collection has not been extensively studied in literary and linguistic research, since there has not been any letterpress printed edition of it, and even the facsimile version had not been easily accessible until very recently. Published articles about Zulfaqar Sharwani include an entry under his name in the Encyclopedia of the World of Islam (Moravveji, 2019) and “Majd-i Hamgar’s Name in Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani” (Safari Aqqaleh, 2008). In the article “Thematization with Some Jewels in the Poetry of Azerbaijani Style” (Radfar and Esmaeili Tazekandi, 2011), the poetry of Zulfaqar Sharwani is examined from this thematic perspective. Additionally, Idgah Torghabei references some verses of Zulfaqar Sharwani in some of his works, such as the article “Pronunciation of Several Words in the Shahnameh” (2011). MethodologyThis article utilized library research methods. Having examined Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani, words that were either absent or listed without evidence in the Dehkhoda Dictionary were identified and subsequently searched in available text corpora such as the Academy of Persian Language and Literature, Ganjoor and Noormagz websites, and Noor Digital Library to find reliable explanations for their meanings. DiscussionThe Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani is estimated to contain slightly more than ten thousand couplets. Most of Zulfaqar's poetry is in the form of qasida, demonstrating the author’s mastery of composition; there are also numerous quatrains and ghazals in his collection. Zulfaqar extensively employs poetic imagery constructed with musical terms and concepts, indicating that he had a deeper understanding of music than a typical superficial acquaintance. Furthermore, the names of Iranian kings and pahlevans (champions) frequently appear throughout the work. Moreover, astronomical and astrological terminology plays a significant role in the poet’s imagery, suggesting his profound knowledge of these fields and possible education during his youth. His Diwan and poems also reveal the substantial influence of ancient pharmacology and medicine. Furthermore, Zulfaqar Sharwani also refers to numerous poets and writers preceding him such as Anwari, Azraqi, Am’aq, Sabir Termedhi, Onsori, Al-Ma’arri, Al-Farazdaq, Athir, and Falaki, and also mentions the works of people like Ibn Sina. He also speaks of Ferdowsi with great respect, acknowledging his influence on himself and considering him a mentor, believing Ferdowsi’s soul to be resting in eternal peace.In Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani, we encounter both simple and complex words that are not found in other texts and are not recorded in dictionaries. A number of these words may be considered dialectal variants which were not used in formal Persian; however, some of these words may have entered the Diwan due to the influence of the scribe’s dialect rather than the poet’s. A few examples of these rare words include âxora (آخُره), angâm (انگام), ēlvâra (ایلواره), târâ (تارا), and dastvenǰan (دستونجن). ConclusionDiwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani, an eloquent poet of the seventh century, is a comprehensive collection that, in addition to its literary and historical values, contains many rare and unique words. This article lists some of these words, emphasizing the necessity for Diwan-e Zulfaqar Sharwani to be printed with a critical and scholarly perspective, serving as a source of vocabulary for literary corpora. AcknowledgmentsThe authors express their utmost gratitude to Professor Ali Ashraf Sadeghi and other honorable members and officials at the Academy of Persian Language and Literature for providing access to most of the resources used in this article, without which this research could not have been possible.

The mysterious word "Michtam": The Hebrew word מִכְתָּם appears six times in the Hebrew Bible and it only occurs in the book of Psalms at the beginning of the chapter (16:1, 56:1, 57:1, 58:1, 59:1, 60:1). This Hebrew word has been understood differently. For instances, PONS Kompaktwörterbuch Althebräisch (2015) leaves it untranslated, while the other sources translate מִכְתָּם as inscription, prayer, or song. Two of the most notable Hebrew lexica, and Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (TWOT), state that the meaning of מִכְתָּם is unknown. Modern English Bible translations also differ in their translations of מִכְתָּם. Most English Bible translations transliterate this Hebrew word (like NIV, NASB, KJV, Berean Study Bible, Christian Standard Bible, American Standard Version, JPS Tanakh 1917, and HCSB), while the NLT, ESV, International Standard Version, and New Revised Standard Version leave מִכְתָּם untranslated. This article, therefore, seeks to decipher the Hebrew word מִכְתָּם within its literary context and provides textual criticism. This article limits its discussion to Origen's Hexapla because the consistent translation of Greek Aquila and Greek Symmachus contributes to unveiling the meaning of מִכְתָּם. Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The study employed a combination of biblical studies and linguistics. Thus, this article shows the application of a comparative linguistic approach to interpret the word מִכְתָּם. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hebrew word מִכְתָּם creates a problem because the meaning is controversy. The Hebrew lexicon, BDB (1906) and TWOT lexicon (2003), confirm this difficulty, saying, “the meaning of this word is unknown.” PONS Kompaktwörterbuch Althebräisch (2015) records that this word is untranslated, while the other sources translate as song, prayer, or epigram. Allen P. Ross (2012:48), a Hebrew scholar, indicates that its meaning is disputed. Ibn Ezra (Strickman 2009:112) interprets that this word refers to a very precious Psalm. He compares with ketem paz or the finest gold in Song of Songs 5:11 because both words are derived from the same root. This perplexity also occurs in ancient texts as they differ in their translations. This article, therefore, attempts to study and solve this dilemmatic word in ancient texts with textual criticism of its methodology. This study argues that the word מִכְתָּם is not only different in translation, but also the concept in ancient texts.

In the early 1960s, as she was attempting to complete Losing Battles , Eudora Welty began work on her only children's book, The Shoe Bird. Familial and financial difficulties, including her mother's failing health and the need for a new roof for the Welty house, prompted her to write the book for the promise of a $5000 advance from Harcourt, Brace and World. Due to the poor reception it received from some reviewers and the doubts Welty herself expressed about its quality, The Shoe Bird often remains overlooked and undervalued as a part of Welty's collected works. This essay is to reassess the significance of The Shoe Bird in relation to Welty's personal life and literary career by examining her correspondence related to The Shoe Bird alongside the first and second typescript drafts of the text. This study reveals a more complete and complex narrative of the crafting of the book, a journey that complements the children's story itself as they both reflect a struggle for freedom found through the power of language to prompt curiosity, courage, understanding, and love. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Hebrew word מִכְתָּם creates a problem because its meaning is controversial. The Hebrew lexicon, BDB (1906) and TWOT lexicon (2003) confirm this difficulty, saying, »the meaning of this word is unknown«. PONS Kompaktwörterbuch Althebräisch (2015) states that this word is untranslated, while other sources translate it as song, prayer, or epigram. Allen P. Ross (2012, 48), a Hebrew scholar, indicates that its meaning is disputed. Ibn Ezra (2009, 112) interprets that this word refers to a very precious Psalm. He compares it with ketem paz or the finest gold in Song of Songs 5:11 because both words are derived from the same root. This perplexity also occurs in the ancient texts as they differ in their translations. This article, therefore, attempts to study and solve this dilemmatic word in ancient texts with a textual criticism and a contextual study as its methodology. At the end, the meaning of מִכְתָּם will be applied into Christian education field.

Spelling gains were examined when spelling patterns were taught to Arabic adult ELLs in two interventions. The first intervention utilised an explicit wordstudy technique in isolation of meaningful reading tasks. Participants sorted discovery words; deduced, read about and discussed the spelling patterns; brainstormed words that followed the target patterns; and used the target patterns in writing meaningful sentences. The second intervention engaged participants with meaningful reading-comprehension tasks that contained the target patterns heavily embedded within the reading passages to foster incidental learning of the patterns. Participants subsequently followed the same word-study technique which was used in the first intervention. Pre- and posttest results demonstrated that both interventions led to meaningful gains in spelling achievement. The gains were comparable for both interventions. The results call for comprehensive inclusion of explicit teaching of the English orthographic spelling patterns within curriculums - a practice that is not typically emphasised with ELLs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complexities of words in different subject areas increase as students transition from elementary school to middle school. Although most secondary school readers can read monosyllabic words, many other older readers have difficulty with reading multisyllabic words because of their poor phonological and morphological skills. Explicit word‐reading instruction, focused on syllabic and morphemic analyses of multisyllabic words, therefore should be considered for advancing older struggling readers' word‐reading skills. Results from word‐reading interventions have shown that analyses of syllables and morphemes in multisyllabic words advance older struggling readers' phonological and morphological skills. Proficiency in recognizing syllables and morphemes in multisyllabic words then promotes older struggling readers' accurate reading of complex words. Therefore, reading instruction for struggling older readers should focus on using syllable and morpheme analyses for promoting their multisyllabic word reading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This department column is a venue for thoughtful discussions of contemporary issues dealing with policy and practice, remixed in ways that generate new insights into enduring dilemmas, debates, and controversies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological awareness-knowledge of roots and affixes within language and their interactions with one another to create multitudes of words-is arguably a skill requiring extended study beyond the elementary grades. With the rigors of contemporary curriculum that gradually guide students into college and career readiness-and, essentially, into literate citizenship-enhanced morphological awareness derived from specific study within a secondary curriculum is imperative for adolescents and, by extension, adult learners. This article outlines various facets of enhanced morphological awareness among adolescent learners, arguing its place as a necessary skill set to be included within a developmentally appropriate secondary curriculum. Theoretical bases for such skill development can be found in the aspects of both schema theory and psycholinguistic theory, and its development has also been justified in other related literature. These foundations manifest themselves in relevant classroom strategies that can enhance adolescents' literacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological awareness has been established as important to literacy success, and as such, it is critical to study factors affecting children’s performance on measures of this skill. Morphological transparency, or the clarity of the sound and letter pattern relationship between base words and their associated morphological forms, has been found to affect morphological awareness performance. An additional factor of imageability, or how clearly a word can be visualized, also could affect such performance. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the effect of imageability, as it relates to transparency, on children’s morphological awareness responses. Seventy-two third-grade children completed a morphological awareness production task that included words controlled for transparency and imageability. Results of this mixed design revealed that imageability appeared to interact with transparency and words of high imageability were more readily produced than those of low imageability in conditions of low and high transparency. These results suggest that imageability should be considered when developing morphological awareness tasks aimed at measuring developmental expectations for school-age children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to document the impact of an instructional approach, Word Study, on adults' spelling and reading. Forty-nine adults enrolled in ESL classes at a community-based site in the United States from January through May and were tested on the Comprehensive Adult Student Assessment System, the Elementary Spelling Inventory and the Developmental Spelling Analysis. This study employed a mixed-methodology including statistical and qualitative analyses. The results showed significant growth for the adult students on their spelling and reading scores and positive response to the intervention. Reasons for why this approach is valuable to educators are addressed in the discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reviews best practices for effective adolescent literacy programs. A focus is placed on five areas of literacy instruction including word study fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, and motivation. Each of these areas is discussed as well as how each area is relevant to reading and understanding narrative and content-area text at high levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the clinical application of morphological awareness intervention to facilitate speech-deficit children's success in vocabulary, spelling, reading and phonology. It discusses the research-based and theoretical perspectives on this intervention in children with or without literacy and language deficiency. It also provides a case study demonstrating the application of this intervention and its outcomes.

Literacy is an increasingly important factor as schools focus on improving student achievement. Literacy skills in reading and writing are critical components needed for both access to the general curriculum and for successful academic achievement. A key component of reading and writing is word identification, a skill deficit for many adolescent students with learning disabilities. This article describes how we implemented Words Their Way, an explicit, inductive instructional approach to teach phonemic awareness, spelling patterns, and morphology to students in a ninth grade literacy class in an urban high school. The orthographic knowledge learned through word study is applied to word identification skills used in reading and writing. The article explains how we adapted this program for adolescents who are struggling with reading and writing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]