Transcription of UsingPrefixes,Suffixesand& …
1 Using Prefixes, Suffixes and root words to Improve College Level Vocabulary Steven Reid 6/15/2013 1 Table of Contents Word Prefixes Card Prefix, Suffix, and root Appendix A Word Appendix B Card Appendix C Suffix Appendix E Prefix, Suffix, and root Appendix F Appendix G root Appendix H 2 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.
2 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. 3 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.
3 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. 4 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.
4 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.
5 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. 5 Prefixes Card Sort Objective: To help students see the connection between a prefix and a word. This will help students see which prefix can be attached to which word, and how it affects the meaning.
6 Materials: Copies of the Card Match pages (one set for each student/group) from Appendix B. It will probably be best to copy these on card stock. This will allow for the cards to stand up to the wear- and- tear they will experience during multiple uses. Copies of Prefix List and root List (from Appendices F and G). Directions: 1. Have students working either alone or in small groups match the prefixes to words on the appropriate card. Students may discover that some prefixes can be attached to more than one card, or that a word may work with multiple prefixes. 2. Have students write down all of the new words they have created and the definition of the new words . 3.
7 You may also have them group: a. All the words that match a particular prefix, b. All the prefixes that match a particular work, and/or c. All prefixes that have similar meaning. 6 Suffixes Objective: To allow students to become more familiar with suffix usage, function, and meaning. Materials: Copies of Suffix Worksheet (Appendix C) Copies of Suffix List (Appendix H) Copies of root List (Appendix G) Directions: 1. Discuss the function of Suffixes when used with roots, such as how words often change their parts of speech when a suffix is added. For example: a. ion, changes the verb act to the noun action. b. ible, changes the noun vision to the adjective visible. 2.
8 Suffixes can also be used to modify a word in other ways: a. ette can be used to make something smaller, as in kitchen to kitchenette. b. ess can be used to show gender, waiter to waitress. (However, this is falling out of favor as English moves toward more gender- neutral usage.) 3. If desired, the teacher may want to use the Word Circles (from Appendix A) to further explore the various suffixes from the List. 4. When the teacher feels the students are comfortable with suffix usage, all them to explore to words by using the Suffix Worksheet. 7 Prefix, Suffix, and root Worksheet Objective: To allow the students to use all the affix and root to find the meaning of college level vocabulary.
9 Materials: Copies of the Prefixes, Suffixes, and root lists Copies of the Prefixes, Suffixes, and root Word Worksheet from Appendix E. Directions: 1. As the culmination of their work with the word components, have the students use the worksheet to use their newfound skills to define previously unknown words . 2. First have the students deconstruct the word into its parts. 3. Then, but using these parts, have the students create a definition for the word. 4. Finally, using a dictionary, have the students check their created definition with the actual definition of the word. 5. You may want to have the students work in teams or share their results with the group. 8 Appendix A Word Circles 9 root or Affix Meaning 10 root or Affix Meaning root or Affix Meaning root or Affix Meaning root or Affix Meaning 11 root or Affix Meaning man hand manuscript manacles manipulate emancipate manual management manufacture maneuver 12 Appendix B Card Sort 13 a typical di section dis interest re vive 14 in scribe anti freeze non sense post pone 15 possible ex hale im mono
10 Tone trans verse 16 practice ir regular un helpful sub liminal mal 17 Appendix C Suffix Worksheet 18 DIRECTIONS: Match the root word to the appropriate suffix. DIRECTIONS: Identify the suffix in each word and use it to define the word. Suffix Meaning of word Bibliophile Retirement Respondent Theocracy Romanesque Falsify Negligence Civil Homicide Edible root Word Suffix sequ ile bio us acid ure tact ive vent logy act el stat ic 19 ANSWER KEY DIRECTIONS: Match the root word to the appropriate suffix. DIRECTIONS: Identify the suffix in each word and use it to define the word.
