Based on the work of Kylene Beers, When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do
Teaching Word Parts
Teaching students some words directly via word lists and teaching how to indirectly
find the meaning of others via context are both important. However, it impossible to
directly teach the meaning of all words, and sometimes the context provides
insufficient clues; therefore, we also must help dependent readers increase their word
knowledge by teaching them how words work In other words, teach them the
meanings of prefixes, roots, and suffixes. With this knowledge, students can unlock
the definitions of many words.
Teaching Specific Roots and Affixes
Though vertical planning in schools, specific grades could be assigned selected roots
and affixes from a master list for the school so that word study could be effectively
integrated across the curriculum. This would enable repeated opportunities for
learning and relearning.
Vocabulary Trees
Building vocabulary trees is an effective means of helping students build word
knowledge either as a group activity or students can build these trees on their own in
the vocabulary section of their binders. Points can be awarded periodically for added
twigs and branches. (Example follows).
Root
act
aud
cred
dic
graph
loc
man
mot
ped
pop
port
sign
spec
tract
vid
volve
Prefix
adamphianautoco-
Common Roots, Prefixes, and Suffixes
Meaning
Examples
do
Action, actor, react, transact, enact
hear
Audience, auditorium, audible, audition
believe
Credit, discredit, incredible, credulous
speak
Dictate, predict, contradict, verdict, diction
write
Autograph, paragraph, phonograph, photograph,
telegraph
place
Allocate, dislocate, locate, location
hand
Manual, manufacture, manuscript, manipulate
move
Demote, motion, motor, promote
foot
Pedal, pedestrian, pedestal
people
Population, popular, populace
carry
Import, export, portable, porter, transport
mark
Insignia, signal, significant, signature
see
Inspect, respect, spectacle, spectator, suspect
pull, drag
Attract, detract, contract, subtract, traction, tractor
see
Evidence, video, provide, providence
roll
Evolve, involve, revolve, revolver, revolution
Meaning
to
both, around
not
self
together
Examples
Adapt, addict, adhere, admit
Amphibian, amphitheater
Anarchy, anesthesia, anorexia, anonymous
Automobile, automatic, autograph, autobiography
Coauthor, cognate, coincide, cooperate, coordinate
Based on the work of Kylene Beers, When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do
dedisforilimim-
opposite
opposite
not
not
into
not
in-
not
ir-
not
mal-
bad
proproreresub-
before
forward
again
back
under
trans-
across
un-
not
Suffix
-ade
Meaning
action or
process
action or
process
one who
small
state or quality
of
one who
full of
relating to
without
small
resembling
every
action or
process
action or quality
of
product or thing
one who
-age
-ant
-cle
-dom
-ent
-ful
-ic
-less
-let
-ly
-ly
-ment
-ment
-ment
-or
Deactivate, deform, degrade, deplete
Disagree, disarm, discontinue, disgust, dishonest
Forbid, forget, forego
Illegal, illegible, illegitimate, illiterate, illogical
Immediate, immerse, immigrate, implant, import
Imbalance, immaculate, immature, immobilize,
impossible
Inaccurate, inactive, inadvertent, incognito,
indecisive
Irregular, irreconcilable, irredeemable,
irresponsible
Maladjusted, malaise, malevolent, malfunction,
malice
Prognosis, progeny, program, prologue, prophet
Proceed, produce, proficient, progress, project
Redo, rewrite, reappear, repaint, relive
Recall, recede, reflect, replay, retract
Subcontract, subject, submarine, submerge,
subordinate, subterranean
Transatlantic, transcend, transcribe, transfer,
translate
Unable, uncomfortable, uncertain, unhappy
Examples
Blockade, escapade, parade
Marriage, pilgrimage, voyage
Assistant, immigrant, merchant, servant
Corpuscle, cubicle, particle
Boredom, freedom, martyrdom, wisdom
Resident, regent, superintendent
Careful, fearful, joyful, thoughtful, peaceful
Comic, historic, poetic, public
Ageless, careless, thoughtless, tireless
Islet, leaflet, owlet, rivulet, starlet
Fatherly, motherly, scholarly
Daily, weekly, monthly, yearly
Development, embezzlement, government
Amusement, amazement, predicament
Fragment, instrument, ornament
Actor, auditor, doctor, donor
Based on the work of Kylene Beers, When Kids Can’t Read, What Teachers Can Do