In 1997, the state of California handed out new standards for teaching Language Arts.  The standards stated what should be taught, but not how, when, or which materials to use.  As a teacher and department chair in a small Title 1 middle school in southern California, I knew our kids needed help.  I noticed Reading Standard 1.2, teaching Greek and Latin roots—I realized that if students began learning roots and affixes, they could soon unlock challenging vocabulary words, in both English and content area subjects.  My colleague, Lisa Arter, and I set out to create a program to help teach this standard.   Together we developed a 21 week progression through the most common Greek and Latin affixes. We encouraged our students, helping them to master these new skills.  And it worked.  In 2002, our school earned the highest gains in language arts of any middle school in Riverside or San Bernardino counties that year, and we were honored at the county office of education for our achievements.

This curriculum was first presented in a workshop to other middle school teachers at the California League of Middle Schools conference in San Diego in 2001 to a wildly responsive crowd.  The next year we presented it again at CLMS in San Francisco, and teachers, since we’d done all the work for them, asked if they could just buy the program.  I said if they were serious, we’d fully develop and refine the curriculum and publish in two months on May 15^th, 2002.  We did, and AH-HA was born.  An order for Foundations of Vocabulary was placed the very first day and we were off.  We knew that in order to get the word out about Foundations of Vocabulary we’d have to become exhibitors at conferences.  Having no idea what we were in for, we decided to start at the top!  Our very first exhibit was at the National Council of Teachers of English in Atlanta, Georgia.  The response we received was tremendous, and we’ve never looked back.

One of the best rewards of creating this curriculum and participating at conferences is the opportunity I have had to talk with fellow educators.   I’ve learned that teachers across this country are in the same boat:  we want to help our students comprehend and love literature as much as we do, but so many of them struggle.   The concept that most English words are made of parts, that these parts have meaning, and that learning these meanings can open up the word is a tremendous advantage to give them.  The power that students receive after studying Foundations of Vocabulary is a beautiful sight to see.  The feedback from teachers who have used the curriculum, the gains their students have made, hearing about the many creative ways they’ve adapted the curriculum for their own students’ needs, makes it all worthwhile.  I’m still teaching 7^th grade full-time; my students will be learning Level II, and I hope to see many of you at conferences this year.  Please check the page about where to see us and come by and say hi! I’d love to meet you.

                                                                           Patricia Hofmann