Vocabulary - Part Nine

    Affixes that come before root words are called prefixes.  There are five reasons why prefixes are particularly worth teaching and are well suited for instruction:

1. There is a relatively small number of prefixes.
2. Prefixes are used in a large number of words.
3. Prefixes tend to be consistently spelled.
4. Prefixes are easy to identify because they occur at the beginning of words.
5. Prefixes usually have a clear lexical meaning.

Researchers found that twenty prefixes account for about ninety seven percent of the prefixed words in printed school English.  Four prefixes account for about fifty eight percent of the prefixed words.  They are un, re, in, and dis (White, Sowell and Yanagihara, 1989).

    Affixes that follow a root word are called suffixes.  There are two kinds of suffixes - inflectional and derivational.  Inflectional suffixes change the form of the word but not its speech part, these include verb forms, plurals and comparative and superlatives.  Derivational suffixes are like prefixes in that they alter a root word’s meaning (Diamond and Gutlohn, 2006).

    Morphemic analysis, though useful, does not always work.  Some pitfalls include:

1. Some prefixes are not consistent with their meaning.
2. Sometimes the removal of what appears to be a prefix leaves no meaningful root word.
3. Sometimes the removal of what appears to be a prefix of a suffix leaves a word that is not obviously related in meaning to the whole word  (White, Sowell and Yanagihara, 1989).

    Greek and Latin roots are bound morphemes that cannot stand alone as words in English (Diamond and Gutlohn, 2006).

Vocabulary - Part Eight

   If students have the task of learning tens of thousands of words and we can only teach them a few hundred words a year, then they have to do a lot of word learning on their own (Graves, 2000).  Given the size of vocabularies they need, readers can and must improve their vocabularies independently.  Directly teaching word learning strategies, coupled with explicit instruction in specific words, can help students not only to increase their vocabularies but also to become independent word readers (Baumann et al, 2003).

    Dictionary use is not as simple as it seems, students frequently have difficulty using the dictionary to define unfamiliar words (Miller and Gildea, 1987).  Instruction related to dictionary definitions should be simple and direct and involve children in analyzing dictionary definitions in the course of vocabulary instruction (Stahl, 2005).  The crucial point is that students should receive instruction in how to use what they find in a dictionary entry.  Teachers should model how to look up the meaning of an unfamiliar word and how to choose the appropriate definition from an entry to make sure it fits a particular context.  

    The key instructional elements of morphemic analysis are morphemes which include root or base words and Greek and Latin roots and affixes.  There are two basic types of morphemes - free and bound.  Free morphemes can stand alone as words, they do not have to be combined with other morphemes to make words.  Bound morphemes cannot stand alone, they must be attached to or “bound” to other morphemes to make words (Diamond and Gutlohn, 2006).

    A root or base word is a single word that cannot be broken into smaller words or word parts.  Knowing the meaning of one root word can provide a bridge to the meaning of other words related in meaning or words belonging to a word family (Diamond and Gutlohn, 2006).

    An Anglo - Saxon compound word contains two free morphemes or word parts (Diamond and Gutlohn, 2006).

Keyword Method

The keyword method is a mnemonic strategy.  A mnemonic strategy is a systematic procedure for enhancing memory.  The keyword method has been shown to be effective with students who have learning difficulties and those who are at risk (Mastropieri and Scruggs, 1998).  This lesson will give students the ability to remember word meanings.  This can be used with grade three and above.  This lesson can be used whole group, small group, pairs or individually.

The components of the keyword method are:

1. Direct Explanation - Explain to students that you are going to show them how to use the keyword method which a strategy they can use to help them remember the meanings of new vocabulary words.
2. Read the Selected Text - Have students read the text either in pairs or individually.
3. Define the Target Word - Read the new word from the selected text.
4. Think of a Keyword for the Target Word - Have students, with help necessary, think of a word called a keyword, which is a word that sounds like the target word and can easily be pictured.
5. Link the Keyword with the Meaning of the Target Word - Now have students create an image, or just picture in their head, of the target word and the keyword interacting.
6. Recall the Meaning of the Target Word - Explain to students that now whenever they read the target word you want them to try to remember the picture of the keyword and the meaning interacting.
7. Repeat with Other Target Words - Have students repeat this procedure with at least one more word from the text.
   

Word Map

The word map, along with other graphic organizers, help students to visualize how words connect to each other.  This lesson will give students the ability to acquire in - depth understanding of word meanings.  This can be used with grade two and above.  This lesson can be used whole group, small group or with pairs.

The components of the word map analysis are:

1. Choose target words - Pre-select a target words from text.
2. Read text - Have students read a pre-selected text.
3. Teach/Model -  students what they know about the chosen target word.  Write the target word in the center of the word map.  In boxes around the center word have students come up with synonyms, antonyms, example, and nonexample using the text as a guide.
4. Guided Practice - Have the students create a different word map using the same word in the center.

Independent Practice - Have students create another word map using another word from the text.  I use the following sheet in my classroom to promote my students to use and listen for vocabulary words in a multiple of settings.    https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Vocabulary-2370160