Teaching Word Parts

Subject Area and Grade Span: Any Subject, Grades 2-12 (Mathematics Example)

What it is:

Teaching Word Parts is designed for teaching the definition of key vocabulary concepts by focusing on the parts of words, such as, roots, prefixes and suffixes (refer to Word Parts Reference). This practice is intended for teaching individual words or groups of words related by word parts. Word parts can be taught in a single lesson for preview/review or in a series of lessons depending on complexity and student needs. Understanding word parts helps students understand the meaning of unknown words by recognizing familiar parts of words, and increases student knowledge of morphemes commonly found in English vocabulary.

What it looks like:

• Introduce the vocabulary term(s) to students and have students repeat each term.     
• Model how to determine the meaning of an unknown word by examining the morphemes.                            
• Divide the word(s) into morphological components (prefix, root, suffix).
• Explain the meaning of each one (prefix definitions are often consistent, but suffix study might require a variety of examples for students to understand them; the study of roots and affixes might include the Word Parts Web graphic organizer).
• Enter this information on the Word Web.
• Use the word(s) in context and compare to word(s) with similar parts.
• Model your thinking by doing a Think Aloud (ex: “I know that peri- means all around and meter is a unit of length, so perimeter must mean the length all around).        

How you know it’s working:

• Students demonstrate understanding of difficult concepts.
• Students understand vocabulary critical to content knowledge.

Things to consider:

• Use the appropriate academic language (i.e., morphology, etymology, root, etc.).
• Teacher modeling is appropriate to ensure student success with this activity.
• To provide scaffolding, the teacher may want to examine a new word each day as it relates to the morpheme focus, completing the graphic over time.
• Invite students to determine the meaning of other vocabulary from the current unit of study by examining the meanings of word parts as a whole group, then with a partner.

Download Documents:

Download Word Parts Graphic (application/pdf)

Download Word Parts Graphic Sample (application/pdf)

Download Word Parts Reference (application/pdf)

Reference:

San Diego County Office of Education (2005). Math language that works: Teaching and learning essential mathematics vocabulary Grade 6-Algebra I. San Diego, California.