This week at Bushey Meads, our students have been stepping up their vocabulary skills with the Latin root GRESS, which means “step.” As we work together in the daily pursuit of progress—literally taking steps toward our goals—students have been exploring words that carry this root. Alongside GRESS, we also delved into the root GRAD, which shares the same meaning of “step,” helping students understand how these roots are woven into so many of the words we use every day.

Here are some examples of words that came into play this week:

• Progress – Moving forward or making strides towards a goal.
• Gradual – Something happening slowly, in small, steady steps.
• Congress – A meeting or gathering, where ideas “step” together.
• Regress – Returning to a former or less developed state

To wrap up the week, we also made sure to avoid any digressions—steps away from our main focus—during a fun word game challenge. It was a fantastic way to reinforce the importance of staying on track while still appreciating the fun of discovering new words!