Good readers figure out the meanings of unknown words as they read. To figure out meanings of words, readers usually look outside the unknown word to the context surrounding the words or inside the word at the word structure. Use of inside and outside word strategies helps build a bigger vocabulary, which helps you understand more difficult text. If you are in the habit of not figuring out meanings of words as you read, your reading level will not grow. You will essential become a less competent reader. So.....to keep growing, you have to keep learning words.
This tutorial will help you learn the inside word strategies. It will show you how to break apart of word into its morphemes, the small parts of the words that have important clues to the meaning of the whole word.
While viewing the presentation on deconstructing words to decide meanings, please record the following within the word learning or word study section of your notebook:
Source: Jodi Owens-Kristenson
Watch this slide share and record notes in notebook.
Source: Jodi Owens-Kristenson
After viewing the presentation on how to deconstruct a word to determine its meaning, you now need to decide 15 prefixes, suffixes, and word parts that are worth your time to learn. These should be unknown to you. For instance, if you know that re- means again, do not include it in your 15 prefixes. In addition, if you recorded some of the prefixes, suffixes and word parts from the presentation, you are free to subtract that number from the number you now need to find. Make sure you choose your 15 prefixes, suffixes, and word parts wisely. If it is a very odd or unusual suffix, rarely seen, don't waste your time in learning that suffix. Choose common, unknown parts on which to focus.
Use the following resources to determine your 15 prefixes:
Reader's Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning by Burke, Klemp, and Schwartz has a list of prefixes on pages 758-760. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 7: Grade 7 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 118-119 provides a list of common prefixes and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 6: Grade 6 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 103-104 provides a list of common prefixes and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
The following Web sites can also be used to determine your 15 unknown prefixes and definitions: http://www.englishclub.com/vocabulary/prefixes.htm (English Club)
Use the following resources to determine your 15 suffixes:
Reader's Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning by Burke, Klemp, and Schwartz has a list of suffixes on pages 760-761. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 7: Grade 7 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 119 provides a list of common suffixes and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 6: Grade 6 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 105 provides a list of common suffixes and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
The following websites will provide common suffixes and their meanings:
About.com: http://grammar.about.com/od/words/a/comsuffixes.htm
A list produced by Michigan testing groups: http://www.michigan-proficiency-exams.com/suffix-list.html
Use the following resources to determine your 15 word parts:
Reader's Handbook: A Student Guide for Reading and Learning by Burke, Klemp, and Schwartz has a list of word parts and meanings on pages 763-765. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 7: Grade 7 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 119 provides a list of common word parts and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
Mastering the Common Core 6: Grade 6 English Language Arts by the American Book Company page 105 provides a list of common word parts and their meanings. (Locate this book in the resource center in the classroom)
These web sites are useful resources to determine your 15 word parts and their meanings:
Learn That: http://www.learnthat.org/pages/view/roots.html
Review your lists daily, using good study habits, so that you learn the meanings of the prefixes, suffixes, and word parts.
Source: Jodi Owens-Kristenson
