Amidon Planet E143: DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: Helping Students Decode Big Words (w/ Amy Jackson and Kristi Livingston)

Published by Adminidon on May 7, 2026May 7, 2026

Students with dyslexia and other reading difficulties often struggle with multisyllabic words—but explicit instruction in morphology can make a meaningful difference.

In this episode, I talk with Amy Jackson and Kristi Livingston about their article DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: A Guide to Explicit Morphology Intervention and the role morphology plays in helping students both decode and understand complex words. By learning to identify, spell, and define prefixes, suffixes, and roots, students strengthen both word recognition and language comprehension.

This kind of work is part of a broader story often referred to as the “Mississippi Miracle”, where sustained, research-informed literacy practices across the state have contributed to significant gains in student reading outcomes. The approaches discussed in this episode reflect the kind of intentional, structured instruction that has helped move that work forward.

We explore why morphology should be a central part of word study, walk through a structured approach to introducing new morphemes, and discuss how this supports students with language-based learning differences.

If you’re an upper elementary teacher or interventionist looking for practical strategies to support struggling readers, this conversation offers clear guidance and actionable ideas. If you are novice, like I am, you will still learn a lot about learning to read.

Jackson, A. S., & Livingston, K. D. (2025). DE+CON+STRUCT+ED: A Guide to Explicit Morphology Intervention. Intervention in School and Clinic, 61(2), 66-73.

Enjoy!