Root Word and Affix Instruction

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Root Word andAffix Instruction

• Lessons to Improve
• Vocabulary Development

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Definitions(Merriam-Websters Intermediate
Dictionary)

• ROOT WORD
• a word or part of a word from which other
  words are formed
• AFFIX
• a letter or group of letters attached to the
  beginning or end of a word that serves to produce
  a derivative word or an inflectional form

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AFFIXES

• PREFIX
• Appears before the root
• SUFFIX
• Appears after the root

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Greek and Latin Roots and Affixes

• English is a hodge-podge of many languages, but
  is primarily comprised of Greek and Latin roots,
  prefixes and suffixes

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• If you teach students roots and affixes
  (rather than a set list of ten vocabulary words)
  each week, they will be able to unlock the
  meaning of many more words

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• Teaching Roots and Affixes is a great
  interdisciplinary opportunity for Math, Science
  and Language Arts
• It is also a helpful strategy to ESL students

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CSSDAn Approach to Vocabulary-Building

• Context
• Sound
• Structure
• Dictionary

• First, look at the words surrounding the unknown
  word
• Sound out the unknown word
• Identify affixes and roots of the unknown word
• Lastly, use a dictionary if the other methods
  fail

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Resources

• Download the following documents for lists of
  root words and affixes
• Vocabulary1
• Vocabulary2
• Vocabulary3
• Additional lists can be found in the appendices
  of When Kids Cant Read What Teachers Can Do, by
  Kylene Beers

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Some Website Resources

• Greek and Latin Root Words
• http//www.awrsd.org/oak/Library/greek_and_latin_r
  oot_words.htm
• Funbrain.com
• http//www.funbrain.com/roots/index.html
• The Phonics Connection
• http//www.manateemiddle.org/phonics/newpage12.htm
  
• The Vocabulary Workshop
• http//www.southampton.liunet.edu/academic/pau/cou
  rse/webesl.htm

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Final Product for Lesson

• Submit the lesson plan that incorporates root
  word/affix instruction
• Also, submit a professional reflection (what went
  well, what could be improved, etc...), and a
  sample of student work (Download Teacher
  Reflection document)