Use word parts

If you see readers who . . .

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

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.

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.

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:

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?

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.

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