Expand Vocabulary
READY REFERENCE GUIDE
Use word parts
Definition

Readers look at the parts of words and use their knowledge of these predictable parts to help determine words' meaning. A few of the word parts readers use are prefixes, suffixes, word origins, and abbreviations.

When to teach this strategy

If you see readers who . . .

  • struggle with reading longer words.
  • don't understand how affixes affect the meaning of particular words.
Why we teach it

Students will learn many new words through direct, explicit instruction in class, but there is no way to teach all the words students will encounter. This strategy gives readers a tool to figure out words they meet in their own reading.

Secret to success

Look at the word to determine whether it has distinguishable parts, and then use your background knowledge of the word parts along with your knowledge of the text to infer its meaning.

How we teach it

We usually introduce this strategy as a whole-class lesson. This is a great time to point out to students that we use our thinking about word parts to help understand words and even to spell words.

We spend a little time each day looking at words and their parts and patterns. We choose a word part and do the following:

  • Introduce the word part (e.g., un or tion).
  • Define the word part and how it affects the meaning of the word.
  • Write examples of the word part using real words on an anchor chart. When introducing the prefix un, we would write un at the top of the anchor chart and add two words, uninvited, unbelievable.
  • Discuss the meaning of each word and the effect un had on it.
  • Infer the word's meaning.
  • Invite students to add their own un words to the anchor chart that they encounter during their reading.
  • Students read to the class the sentence that contains the word they added to the anchor chart.
  • Discuss the words students add and infer the meaning of the words and the sentences. Go back and reread the text to confirm.

    • Suggested language:

    • When you come to a word you don't know, ask yourself, Do I know any parts of this word?
    • What does that word part mean? Does that help you understand that word?
    • What other parts are in that word?
    Instructional Pivots

    Possible ways to differentiate instruction:

    • Isolate the word to help students recognize the word parts, and then as quickly as possible, anchor the words back into the text so students learn to infer the meaning of words based on their parts and use in context.
    • Encourage students to highlight word parts they notice, and then keep a list in their notebooks of the part and how it helps them understand words.

    Reconsider materials, setting, instruction, and cognitive processes.

    Partner Strategies

    These strategies may provide support before, during, and after teaching this strategy:

    • Use Prior Knowledge and Context Clues
    • Use Pictures, Illustrations, and Diagrams
    • Tune In to Interesting Words
    • Check for Understanding; Monitor and Self-Correct

    © TeachDaily.com