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Workshop Dates: Oct 22 and 23, 2026
Pre-Workshop Google Meet with Dr. Bowers: Oct 6 from 3:00 to 5:00 CST
Join Us for a Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) Workshop
Join Us for a Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) Workshop
Featuring Dr. Pete Bowers
Teaching Understanding of Oral and Written Language from the Sub-Lexical to the Supra-Lexical
About Dr. Pete Bowers & Structured Word Inquiry (SWI)
About Dr. Pete Bowers & Structured Word Inquiry (SWI)
Since 2000, Dr. Pete Bowers has been researching and conducting workshops globally in Structured Word Literacy. He coined the term Structured Word Inquiry (SWI) to describe the instruction in their Gr 4/5 vocabulary intervention (Bowers & Kirby, 2010). This pedagogical approach is now used with students of all abilities from pre-school to high school. In all contexts, this instruction investigates the English language through the intersection of three key pillars:
Morphology: The structure of meaning (prefixes, bases, and suffixes).
Etymology: The history and evolution of words.
Phonology: The sounds that represent those meanings.
Rather than relying on rote memorization or isolated phonics patterns, SWI empowers students to uncover the underlying logic of our writing system. It reveals that English spelling is primarily meaning-based, using a morphological lens to explain why words are spelled the way they are.
Why This Matters While this method is an essential lifeline for students with dyslexia, it offers significant advantages for all learners.
Why This Matters While this method is an essential lifeline for students with dyslexia, it offers significant advantages for all learners.
Research using SWI shows benefits for reading, spelling and vocabulary. In the few studies comparing SWI and phonics, SWI has either equaled or improved literacy learning.
By revealing the "true mechanics" of the language, SWI provides an unparalleled opportunity to expand student vocabulary through deep meaning-connections.
SWI empowers students to stop guessing about the spelling and meaning of words; instead they learn to investigate, enrich and deepen their understanding of spelling and meaning which leads to key vocabulary enrichment across all subject areas.
The study of morphology, etymology, and phonology is a lifelong journey, beginning in kindergarten and evolving through high school and beyond.
Transform Your Teaching
Tools such as Word Sums and the Matrix make the structure of words obvious and show connections between words. These tools were first introduced by Real Spelling (2001) (now available at www.TBox2.com) and first used in instructional research by Bowers and Kirby (2010).
Dr. Pete Bowers will be introducing a new teaching resource: the Sentence Matrix, a tool to make sense of the structure and syntax of sentences.
This workshop will challenge your perspective and enhance your practice in powerful ways. As many educators have discovered: once you see the logical connections between words, you cannot unsee them. Ultimately, developing a deep understanding of words cultivates a more analytical and reflective mindset.
Specifics Pre-Workshop & Workshop Info
Pre-Workshop Google Meet: October 6 from 3:00 to 5:00 CST
In this Google Meet session, Dr. Pete Bowers will give participants an introduction to SWI, setting the stage for the in-person session.
In-Person Dates: October 22 – 23, 2026
Hours: 8:45 to 3:45
Location: Decker School, Decker, MB
(Directions: 1 hour northwest of Brandon; Directions from Brandon, MB; west on TransCanada to HW21; north on HW21 to PR355; west to hamlet of Decker; 2 miles north on PR264 on west side of road); Link to Decker Colony School
Cost: $250 per person (before Oct 1; $300 after Oct 1)
(Includes registration, pre-workshop Google Meet intro; daily lunch and snacks)
Maximum number of participants: 75
More information on SWI: www.wordworkskingston.com
Registration and Payment
Registration and Payment
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