How to Build "Word Wealth" | Sean Morrisey

In this episode of The Reading Symphony Podcast...

Katie welcomes Sean Morrisey, creator of the Word Mapping Project, for an engaging conversation about vocabulary instruction, morphology, the Science of Reading, and why building "word wealth" is essential for every child's literacy development.

They also discuss why vocabulary instruction shouldn't stop after the primary grades, how to create meaningful conversations around words, and why connecting sound, spelling, and meaning helps words become permanently stored in memory.

📩 Subscribe to The Reading Symphony on Substack

Get practical literacy tips, science-of-reading insights, and evidence-based strategies to help children become stronger readers.

Subscribe here: 👉 https://katiemegrian.substack.com/

👤 About Sean Morrisey

Sean Morrisey is a fifth-grade teacher at Pinehurst Elementary School in the Frontier Central School District near Buffalo, New York. A former school psychologist, Sean is the creator of the Word Mapping Project, a morphology-rich curriculum grounded in the Science of Reading and the Science of Learning. His work helps educators teach vocabulary, spelling, morphology, and word study through practical, evidence-based instructional strategies that improve long-term literacy outcomes.

🔗 Sean's Links:

Website

Sean's Substack

Word Mapping Project Webinar

X (Twitter)

Chapters

00:00 – Kids Can Learn Bigger Words Than We Think

00:49 – Meet Sean Morrisey

02:00 – From School Psychologist to Classroom Teacher

05:00 – Why Spelling Still Matters

06:10 – The Birth of the Word Mapping Project

09:00 – Teaching Big Words to Little Kids

13:00 – Bringing Vocabulary to Life

16:00 – Dyslexia, DLD, and Reading Difficulties

20:00 – What Is the Word Mapping Project?

21:00 – Sound, Spelling, Meaning & Morphology

24:00 – Supporting Struggling Readers

27:00 – Building Your Own Word Knowledge

28:00 – Teaching with Synonyms and Antonyms

29:30 – Practical Advice for Parents