Literacy Glossary

Affixer
A morpheme added to the beginning or ending of a word. Eg a prefix added to the beginning or a suffix added to the end
Accent
The increased stress placed on particular syllables within words. Example: The word ‘photographer’ has the stress on the second syllable. The word ‘photographic’ has the stress on the third syllable.
Assimilation
A change to a sound which occurs as a result of a sound following. Example: In the sentence, The recipe has ten parts. The word, ten, can sound like tem, because the n and p are produced using the same lip position.
Auditory Discrimination
The ability to discriminate individual sounds in words. Example: Able to discriminate the diff erence between take and tale
Backchaining
A technique to help students to pronounce words. Rather than start at the beginning of a word, say the word and then ask the student to say the final syllable or morpheme. Students then work backwards to the whole word, which makes natural stress easier. Backchaining can also be used on whole sentences. Example: pho/to/graph graph/to/pho When backchaining, model first to emphasise the increased stress on the target syllable. Support students to repeat using guided practice.
Base word
A whole word or most of a word that may have affixes added.
Blend
More that one phoneme
Decoding
Code breaking
Digraphs
Two consonants which create one sound. Example: ch, gh, sh, th, wh
Disyllabic
A word with two syllables. Example: in/to doc/tor
Etymological knowledge
Knowledge of word histories and origins.
Guided Reading (reading by students):
occurs when an expert reader provides strategic support as a small group of students independently problem solve an instructional level text
provides opportunities for students to apply strategies taught during shared and read aloud.
Independent or Practice Reading:
is not an instructional approach
occurs when students independently read easy level or familiar texts
Individual Reading (reading by students):
occurs when an expert reader provides strategic support as an individual student independently problem solves an instructional level text
provides opportunities for the student to apply strategies taught during supported reading sessions or prior individual reading sessions
Iteration
Quick, brief repetitions of a sound. Example: p-p-p-pot
Literature Circle
A small group instructional approach to support the development of comprehension, independence and enjoyment.
Minimal Pairs (or Close Pairs)
Words with sounds which are similar. Example: ship, sheep
Monosyllabic
A word with one syllable. Example: car, hat
Morpheme
The smallest unit of language that carries meaning
Non-Rhotic speakers
Individuals who do not pronounce the /r/ sound after vowels, but do pronounce it before a vowel. Example: /r/ is not pronounced: harm, world /r/ is pronounced: rat, rest
Onomatopoeia
A word that sounds like the sound it represents. Example: splash, BANG
Onset
Letter/letters preceding a rime. Example: /d/ /og/, /d/ is the onset, /og is the rime
Orthography
The way letters or letter configurations are assembled to represent words. Example: /d/ /o/ /g/, /b/ /ike/
Pedagogy
This term generally refers to strategies of instruction, or a style of instruction. It is sometimes referred to as the correct use of teaching strategies
Phoneme
A single unit of sound within a word. Example: /a/, /b/, /ch/
Phonemic awareness
The awareness of sounds within a language, and the understanding of the relationship of these sounds. Example: words in sentences, syllables, rhyming
Phonemic identity
Speech sound and placement within a word or sound pattern. Example: “Which word has the /s/ sound*, soon, moon. Where can you hear the sound? Is it at the beginning, in the middle or at the end?“ Repeat the words slowly. *The teaching focus is the sound, so the sound for /s/ is made rather than giving the letter name.
Polysyllabic
A word with three or more syllables. Example: exciting, wonderful
Prosity
Pitch, tone, intonation and volume
Read Aloud (reading to students):
occurs when an expert reader reads a very diffi cult level text to less experienced readers
enables an experienced reader to model how eff ective readers sound, solve and think about texts when reading
Rhotic speakers
Rhotic speakers pronounce the sound of the letter r after vowels in all positions. Example: cart, world
Rhyme
Shared sound pattern at the end of words. Example: pond, wand; cat, mat
Rime
Shared sound pattern that also shares a spelling pattern. Example: cat, mat
Shared Reading (reading with and by students):
occurs when an expert reader reads a diffi cult text and students follow along with their eyes
provides opportunities for the experienced reader to explicitly teach or demonstrate a strategy for solving
provides opportunities for students to join in with the expert reader to read a hard level text
Stop sound
Speech sounds that end the flow of air after articulation. Example: /b/, /d/, /g/, /h/, /j/, /k/, /p/, /q/, /t/, /w/, /x/, /y/
Stretch sound
Speech sounds that have an uninterrupted flow of sound when articulated slowly. Example: /a/, /e/, /f/, /i/, /l/, /m/, /n/, /o/, /r/, /s/, /u/, /v/, /z/
Syllable
A clearly uttered unit of sound containing a vowel sound (a,e,i,o,u,y) and usually a consonant/s. Example: in/to, a/way, yes/ter/day
Unvoiced sound
A speech sound originating in the mouth. Example: /p/ /t/ /k/ /s/ /h/
Voiced sound
A speech sound that can be felt in the throat as vocal cords vibrate. Example: /a/, /e/, /i/, /o/, /u/, /b/ /d/ /g/ /v/