+

An Intro to Word RootsGetting to the ROOT of vocabulary comprehension

+The English Language Is…

+

So, What is your first step?

+The same strategy works with words…

+Instead of Colors You Sort By…

■ Word Roots:■ Greek and Latin Roots■ Prefixes■ Suffixes

+ Your results

■ You can figure out hundreds of words at a time by learning one root.

■90% of English words containing two or more syllables come from Greek or Latin roots.

+More Reasons...

● Most of the academic words in English (e.g., math and science words) are derived from Latin and Greek.

● Most of the more challenging multisyllabic words in English are derived from Latin and Greek.

● A single Latin or Greek root or affix (word pattern) can be found in and aid in the understanding (as well as decoding and encoding) of 20 or more

English words.

+Combine with Reading for Maximum Effect!

Word stem studies work when you combine them with ample time to

read. According to Richard Allington, the time spent reading in class is

critical to vocabulary acquisition. Consider these numbers, tied to

achievement:

Achievement Percentile Min. Read/Day Words/Year

Exposure

90th 40.4

2,357,000

50th 12.9 601,000

10th 1.6 51,000

+Taking Notes: How to OrganizeSide 1: Vocab

Terms/Roots/Prefixes/Suffixes

■ Prefix

■ Suffix

■ Root

■ CRED

■ Credulous

■ Incredulous

■ In-

■ -ous

Side 2: Definitions and Examples

■ Placed at the beginning of a root to change meaning.

■ Placed at the ending of a root to change meaning.

■ A simple word part that holds meaning.

Believe

■ Believe too easily/gullible

■ Does not believe easily/skeptical

■ NOT

■ FULL OF

+A Word You Know:

INCREDIBLE:

■Prefix:

■Root: (etymology)

■Suffix:

Definition:

+A more challenging word:

INCREDULOUS:

■Prefix:

■Root:

■Suffix:

Definition:

+Root: Fac

+ Word Tower!

+Words We Will Cover: Fac-

■Factitious■Artifact■Benefactor■Affect/Effect

+Factitious:

■I once had a kid tell me that when he was little he was lifted by an eagle, who flew away, but came back and let him go after awhile.

■He also told me he knew how to hotwire any vehicle on the road.

■He was only in 3rd grade.■It is likely that what he was telling me was factitious.

fac-______________ous-______________

+Artifact

■Art- ________________■Fac-_______________■Artifact- _________________

+Benefactor

■Bene- _______________■Fac- _________________■Benefactor- _________________

+AFFECT vs. EFFECT

AFFECT=ACTIONEFFECT=RESULT

+ONE MORE TRICK

■Can you replace it with the word change? ■AFFECT■Example: Your infantile insults will not affect me!

■Can you replace it with the word result?■EFFECT■Example: I felt the effects of the first day of basketball practice for three days.

+AFFECT and EFFECT PRACTICE

■I hope that eating this week-old burrito does not __ffect my health.■Do you feel the ___ffects of the concussion today?■The special ___ffects in the movie were amazing!

+MOB/MOT

■WORD TOWER!

+MOB/MOT= TO MOVE

+Words Containing MOB/MOT

■ Mobilize

■ Demobilization

■ Promote

■ Demote

■ Motivation

Words We Will Cover:

+Mobilize

■ Ize- VERB means __________

■ Mobilize means _________

+Demobilize

De- means _______________

Demobilize: _______________

+Promote

■ Definition:■ To move forward■ To advance/further the

progress of something or someone

Pro-

+Demote

■ Definition:

■ De-

+Motivation

-TION makes a word a _____■ Definition: _____________

+VER-

■ WORD TOWER

+VER = TRUTH

+Word Bank

■ Very

■ Verify

■ Verisimilitude

■ Veracious

+Very

■ Definition:

+Verify

■ Definition:

■ -ify:

+Verisimilitude

■ Definition: appearance of being the truth

■ “similar to the truth”

■ Sim-

+Veracious

■ Definition:

■ ous/cious

+Fid-

■ WORD TOWER

+FID = TRUST/FAITH

+Word Bank:

Confidence

Diffidence

Fidelity

Infidel

+Confidence

■ Definition: full trust in a person or thing

■ Con: with

+Diffidence

■ Definition:

■ Dif: (same as dis) not/away

+Fidelity

■ Definition: ■ Loyalty

■ -ity:

+Infidel

■ Definition:

■ In- NOT