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Using Prefixes, Suffixes and Root Words to Improve

College Level Vocabulary

Steven Reid

6/15/2013

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Table of Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................ 2 Overview.............................................................................................................................................................. 3 Word Circle.......................................................................................................................................................... 4 Prefixes Card Sort................................................................................................................................................ 5 Suffixes................................................................................................................................................................. 6 Prefix, Suffix, and Root Worksheet.................................................................................................................... 7 Appendix A ? Word Circles................................................................................................................................. 8 Appendix B ? Card Sort..................................................................................................................................... 12 Appendix C ? Suffix Worksheet........................................................................................................................ 17 Appendix E ? Prefix, Suffix, and Root Worksheet........................................................................................... 20 Appendix F ? Prefixes ....................................................................................................................................... 25 Appendix G ? Root Words ................................................................................................................................ 29 Appendix H ? Suffixes ....................................................................................................................................... 35

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Introduction

Often students approach vocabulary acquisition as a "Just Memorize It" type of exercise.

Some student painstakingly waste time dragging out a dictionary when the word could easily be broken apart to discern its meaning, if only the student knew what the individual pieces of the word meant.

In this unit, I will show students how to dissect words by exploring the meanings of the prefixes, suffixes and roots that were used to create the word.

By taking their knowledge of the pieces, they will be able to gain the understanding of more complicated, college--level vocabulary simply by breaking it apart.

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Overview

One of the best methods for teaching the word construction method of vocabulary is

through the use of analogies.

By using words the students already know, they will be able to build on that knowledge to learn new words.

With that in mind, the first part of the lesson will involve Word Circles.

These are used to take the new affix or root and pair it with words already in the students' vocabulary.

The Word Circles can be used in discussion each time new affixes or roots are taught.

Prefixes are explored through the use of a Card Sort activity where the students will be asked to look at a set of prefixes and roots and then match them together.

The suffix lesson uses matching to begin the process of suffix understanding and expands to look at acquiring meaning based on the root and the suffix combination.

Finally, all three pieces are used to define new vocabulary.

These lessons may be expanded by following up with passages taken from literature to allow students to discover more vocabulary that can be dissected using their newfound skills with prefixes, suffixes and roots.

Articles from journals, cuttings from novels, stories from newspapers or magazines could all be possible sources for additional work in this area.

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Word Circle

Objective:

To help students see the connection between the affix or root when used in a word

they are familiar with and how it could be used to help define new vocabulary.

Materials: Copies of:

From Appendix A:

Word Circle (completed copy with root word "man") handout

Large Word Circle handout

Small Word Circle handout

From Appendices F, G, and H:

Copies of Prefix List, Root List, Suffix List

Directions:

1.

Discuss with students how to fill out the chart:

a. Start with the affix or root to be learned, place it in the center.

b. Define the affix or root.

c. Fill in as many words as possible using the affix or root.

d. Complete the Circle by using a dictionary or the internet to find more words

that use that affix or root.

2. Using the completed copy, discuss how each of the words in the Circle are related to

the definition of the root "man" ? "hand.

a. Manuscript ? a handwritten copy

b. Manacles ? handcuffs

c. Manipulate ? to move it by hand, etc.

3. Choose another affix or root and, using the large Word Circle, have the class as a

whole complete the circle.

Students can call out words that use that affix or root

and then how it is related to the definition.

4. Next, you may want to provide you students with a few copies of the pages with 4

small circles on it.

They can use these for their personal exploration, or you may

want to assign them 4 (or more) affixes or roots and have them complete the Word

Circles for each.

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