1

WORD ANALYSIS IN THE CONTENT AREA IIMarch 2, 2011

2

WORD ANALYSIS REVIEW What is Word Analysis?

The identification and/or decoding of a word the reader does not immediately recognize.

This can include: Decoding Spelling patterns Previous vocabulary knowledge Greek and Latin root words as well as prefixes and

suffixes

This does not include: Copying the definition from the glossary or the

dictionary Rote memorization Learning words out of context

3

WORD ANALYSIS Why do we need to focus on Word

Analysis?District High School Students

Assessment Period 1

Assessment Period 2

Below 50% 47.3% 60.9%Below 25% 16.5% 37.1%

District Middle School Students

Assessment Period 1

Assessment Period 2

Below 50% 68.4% 64.5%Below 25% 32.4% 38.9%

4

LAST TIME…

The Frayer Model is a graphic organizer used for word analysis and vocabulary building. This four-square model prompts students to think about and describe the meaning of a word or concept by . . . Defining the term, Describing its essential characteristics, Providing examples of the idea, and Offering non-examples of the idea.

5

FRAYER MODEL

DefinitionAn equation is a mathematical statement that shows that two

expressions are equal.

Facts/Characteristics- always has exactly one equal

sign- the left side is equivalent to the

right side- some equations have 0, 1, 2 or

more solutions- some equations contain only

numbers

Examples3x – 2 = 4x + 7 (linear equation)

ab = ba (an identity)F = 1.8C + 32 (a formula)

5 + 6 = 11 (a number statement)P = 2l + 2w (a formula)

Non-examples2x + 3y (expression)

3 (number)perimeter (word)x < y (inequality)

= 4.2 (has no left side)

EQUATION

6

CONCEPT OF DEFINITION MAP Students often have a narrow conception of

what the meaning of a word encompasses. Student definitions tend to be simplistic, imprecise statements lacking in elaboration and personal comment.

Concept of Definition Maps encourages students to develop a broader definition – one that explores the qualities and components of a definition.

CRISS, p. 197

7

Bill of Rights

Constitutional Amendment

What is it?What is it

like? (Properties)

Comparison

What are some examples? (Illustrations)

Amendment 16 Income

Tax

First 10 amendments

Protects individual

rights

Added in 1791

Freedom of religion, press, speech, etc…

Right to bear arms

Right to a trial by jury

8

WORD STEMS Skilled reading depends on knowing words,

but also on dealing effectively with new words.

One independent word learning strategy is knowing word stems or morphemes (the smallest units of meaning).

Morphemes can stand on their own or be a part of a word (prefixes, roots, suffixes). Affixes (prefixes and suffixes) modify the meaning of morphemes.

9

WORD STEMS

Other words include:• Retract• Extract• Protract• Detract• Contraction• Attractive• Traction• Tractable

Tractpull, draw,

drag

subtract retra

ct

abstract

attract

tractor

contract

detract

distract

10

SINCE LAST TIME…Turn to your shoulder partner and

discuss the following:What word analysis strategies have

you used since November?How/when have you used these

strategies?Explain how the use of these

strategies has supported students in content area reading.

11

TODAYWe will focus our attention on

four additional instructional strategies to teach word analysis skills:1. Etymology2. Vocabulary Organization3. Semantic Gradient4. Semantic Feature Analysis

12

ETYMOLOGY AND WORD ROOTS Etymology, the study of a word’s origins,

helps students troubleshoot unfamiliar vocabulary by introducing them to common Greek and Latin roots of many words in the English language.

Over 60% of the English vocabulary is created through Latin and Greek roots,

prefixes, and suffixes.

Over 90% of the vocabulary of the sciences and technology is created

through Greek and Latin.

Over 90% of English words with more than one syllable are Latin based and

most of the remaining 10% are Greek based.

English Language

13

ROOT WORD CARDS Root word cards allow students to explore

vocabulary as part of their content area lesson and to implement new words in discussion and writing.

Students can create the cards individually or in groups. A list of common roots is in the TSR, though many lists can also be found online.

TSR, 127-9

14

ROOT WORD CARDS

Front BackJudicial: jus, jur, jud (judge)The judicial branch judges and decides what is right and wrong according to the law.

Other Words:• Justice• Jury• Adjudicate• Judge• Prejudice• Judicious

Legislator: lex, leg (law)The legislative branch creates, brings, and votes on laws that other branches will enforce.

Other Words:• Legal• Legalize• Legitimate• Legacy• Legible• Privilege

15

ROOT WORD CARDS

Front BackGenocide: cide (kill or cut)

Exterminate an entire race.

Hitler was responsible for the most extreme case of genocide in history.

Other Words:• Suicide

• Definition• Incise

• Definition• Insecticide

• Definition• ?

• Definition• ?

• Definition

16

VOCABULARY ORGANIZATION Organizing vocabulary that students have

learned allows students to recall words more quickly and completely.

Vocabulary notebooks are one way to structure student learning and are an important tool that can provide students background knowledge and help them form associations among words

Teaching Basic and Advanced Vocabulary, Marzano

17

VOCABULARY NOTEBOOKS Vocabulary notebooks are a critical tool in

student word learning and provide a single place for students to record important words. They serve as a portfolio of student growth in vocabulary over time.

Most vocabulary notebooks have three sections

Roots and Affixes

• Roots• Prefixes• Suffixes

Content-Specific Words

• Content-area words

• Academic vocabulary

Student-Generated

Words• Student chosen

words

18

USING VOCABULARY NOTEBOOKS

•Cide - to kill or cut out (Insecticide kills common pests, but can kill beneficial insects as well.)Roots and

Affixes•Genocide – the systematic

extermination of a race of people. (Hitler was responsible for the largest recorded genocide in history.Content-

Specific Words

•Regicide – the deliberate killing of a monarch. (Mary Queen of Scots was a victim of regicide.)Student-

generated Words

19

USING VOCABULARY NOTEBOOKS

•Bio•Definition•Example

•Other related wordsRoots and

Affixes•Biodiversity

•Definition•Example

•Other related wordsContent Area

Words

•Autobiography•Definition•Example

•Other related wordsStudent-generated Words

20

SEMANTIC GRADIENT Semantic gradients are scales that force

students to place words along a continuum of meaning.

Semantic gradients build deep word knowledge that helps students differentiate between related words.

Words Their Way for Struggling Readers, Flanigan

21

SEMANTIC GRADIENTS Gradients allow students to link prior

associations with known words to newly acquired words.

Gradients can be used with or without a word bank.

ambled walked jogged bolted

22

SEMANTIC GRADIENTS Science/Mathematics

Radio Waves

Microwaves X-Rays

Acute angle

Right angle

Obtuse

angle

23

SEMANTIC GRADIENTS

Word Bank

Twister Breeze Typhoon Gust

24

SEMANTIC FEATURE ANALYSIS This strategy helps reinforce vocabulary that is

essential to understanding important concepts in a text.

The purpose is for students to develop word associations and to extend their content knowledge.

This strategy can elicit prior knowledge if used before reading the text.

Semantic Feature Analysis can serve as a reason to read as well as an activity to allow the student to monitor his/her comprehension of the material.

McREL and CRISS

25

SEMANTIC FEATURE ANALYSIS Example: “Polygons” – have teachers look at

the example and the components of the graphic

                              Concept: Polygons

Polygons

opposite s

ides para

llel

equilateral

equilangular

4-sided

3-sided

square X X X Xrectangle X X Xtriangle Xrhombus X X Xtrapeziod X

26

SEMANTIC FEATURE ANALYSIS Your turn:

Think of an upcoming unit/lesson where students will need to make associations with various words.

Choose vocabulary words that students need to classify and/or make associations. Fill out the chart using that word.

Think about how this tool can help students before, during, and after reading the material.

27

Debrief:When could you use this strategy in your classroom?

How will this strategy help students with Word Analysis?

How many words are important enough to receive this amount of instructional time?

28

WORD WALLS Review:

How many words and how often? The amount needs to be a small number of

targeted vocabulary words.

How do I create word walls when I have more than one class? Use a rolling wall/file cabinet, Section off the room for each class/subject, Color code per class, Use a student vocabulary notebook for personal

word walls

29

WORD WALLS Whole Group Activities:

Visiting Word: After students have worked on a word wall for a substantial period of time, add a “visiting” word. This encourages students to do a review of the word wall as they hunt for the new word. Present the visiting word as the new word of the day.

Missing Word: Take one word off of the wall and rearrange the remaining words. Students scan the word wall and figure out which word is missing. Give clues to help determine the missing word.

30

WORD WALLS Small Group Activities:

Word Cards Partner Game: Pairs of students take turns choosing a word card and offering a definition for the word. The partner guesses and spells the word.

Drama: Students choose a word from the word wall and improvise a situation that portrays the word. Peers guess the word.

31

WORD WALLS Independent Activities:

Definition Bingo: Students fill in a bingo-type grid with word wall words. As definitions are read out, students cross out the corresponding word on their grid. The first person to get to a complete line of words wins. As a variation, give synonyms and antonyms for appropriate word wall words.

Rankings: Students individually list the word wall words, in writing, from the most difficult to the easiest for them to understand or to spell. If this activity is done at the beginning, middle, and end of the unit, students can note how their rankings have changed.

32

WORD WALLS As An Assessment:

Assess students’ ability to spell the word wall vocabulary accurately, in completing a major assignment

Assess students’ increased vocabulary by looking at their ability to use word wall words effectively ins a writing piece at the end of a unit.

Assess students’ understanding of key concepts inherent in the words by their ability to answer terminology-based questions on a test.

33

CLOSING: 3 - 2 – 1:3. List three reasons to focus on word

analysis strategies in your content area.

2. List two word analysis strategies that you plan to use this month.

1. List one activity to use with word walls.