What is known about the efficacy of morphology in teaching reading in English in primary schools?

Introduction: This research builds on the growing body of work examining the relationship between morphology and reading. Purpose: Unlike phonology, research tells us that teachers lack knowledge about morphology itself and how to teach it. This study sought to find evidence for the efficacy of morphology in teaching reading in research and how it is used to teach reading internationally through examining curricula and curriculum support documents. Method: A systematic literature review was undertaken to find relevant research on the relationship between morphology and teaching reading. Searches were conducted in the EBSCO and Google Scholar databases. Curricula from Ireland, Britain, Scotland, Wales, Canada, America, and Australia were incorporated in the form of grey literature. Results: The study found that using morphology to teach reading to English Language Learners (ELLs) was highly beneficial for comprehension and word reading, regardless of the relationship of the first language to English. There was also some evidence to suggest that children with disabilities or learning difficulties in literacy benefit from morphological instruction, though the number of studies on this cohort was small. Most studies originated from fields outside of education and pedagogy, indicating that there is a lack of research with an educational or pedagogical lens. While newer curricula and curricula aimed specifically at ELLs reflected these results, the dominance of phonology in comparison to morphology remains. Conclusion and Implications: ELLs and children with disabilities, as well as typically developing children, can benefit from systematic and purposeful morphological instruction to increase word reading and comprehension skills. More interdisciplinary research in this area is needed to clarify and increase knowledge around the efficacy of morphology in teaching reading in primary classrooms.N