UsingPrefixes,Suffixesand& Root&Words&to&Improve& …

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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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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.

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. 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.

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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. 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.

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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.

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.

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