Critical Thinking Skills for Language
Getting Kids
Fired Up
AboutD WE ords
enise ide
Cynicism about English
It’s no wonder so many kids (and parents and teachers) are cynical about English!
• We have been taught “rules,” then discover there are more exceptions than rule followers!
• We have been asked to memorize spelling words and vocabulary words by rote, with no thought
to an organizational structure.
Though some students internalize that “English is stupid,” sadly many other believe they are stupid.
The Task at Hand
Literacy Statistics
• 65% of the nation’s fourth grade students read below grade level!
• 51% of fourth grade students in Catholic Schools. NAEP 2013
English
• 1,ooo,ooo words - largest language in the history of the world
• Average adult knows 40-000 60,000 words!
• Well educated adult knows more than twice that many - 200,000!
• Exceptions!
A New Perspective on Language Learning
Critical Thinking Skills for Language Learning
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
NAEP 2013
English is a Morpho-Phonemic Language
• 74 phonograms and 30 spelling rules explain how to sound out 98% of English words!
• http://www.logicofenglish.com/resources/phonogram-list
• http://www.logicofenglish.com/resources/spelling-rules
• English phonetics is complex!
• To learn more rules which will answer your students’ questions about English rather than force
them to memorize hundreds of thousands of exceptions by rote, see:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6LfmRT6apBg
• We also have a free 6 hour training video that introduces parents and teachers to the subject in
more depth: http://www.logicofenglish.com/video/training
English is a Morpho-Phonemic Language
• Morphology is the study of the form or units of meaning within words.
• To fully understand English spelling we must study BOTH phonetics and morphology!
• English spelling is based on both sound and meaning!
• Morphology is needed for explaining tricky spellings and for rapidly developing a large vocabulary.
• morphemes - units of meaning
How Words are Built in English?
• Unbound base - stands alone as an English word. (ex. flower - flowers, flowring, flowered)
• Bound base (root) - does not stand alone as an English word. (ex. mot - motive, motivate, motor,
motion)
• A derivative is a word formed from a baseword.
Compound Words
• base + base = compound word
• Compound Word Game - Say the two words used to form a compound word aloud separated by
a space. Direct students to glue them back together.
rain
bow
rainbow
water
fall
waterfall
foot
ball
football
head
ache
headache
after
noon
afternoon
sail
boat
sailboat
back
bone
backbone
horse
back
horseback
sun
shine
sunshine
back
yard
backyard
sand
box
sandbox
bean
bag
beanbag
bed
side
bedside
birth
day
birthday
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
blue
bell
bluebell
row
boat
rowboat
key
board
keyboard
fire
fly
firefly
• Compound Word Memory - Write individual base words that can be formed into compound
words onto index cards. Turn the cards face down on a table. Students flip two cards, read the
words, and decide if they can be used to form a compound word.
• Compound Word Race - Write base words that can be formed into compound words on index
cards. Set a timer for one minute. Flip one word so that students can read it. Students write or call
out as many compound words they can think of that incorporate the base word shown.
• Compounds do present some complexity since there are closed, open, and hyphenated compounds. The only way to know for sure is to look it up in the dictionary.
Add a Prefix
• Prefix - letter or letters fix or attached before the word which change the meaning of the word.
• Uncovering the Logic of English p.183 includes a list of the most commonly used prefixes. These are
an excellent place to begin to learn the meaning of common prefixes that unlock the meaning of
tens of thousands of words.
• Practice prefixes with flashcards. Ask students to read the prefix, state its meaning, and name
one to three words that use the prefix. To make it a game, award points. Play to a set number, or
divide the class into teams
• Prefix memory - Write the prefixes on index cards and their meanings on different cards. Place
the cards face down on the table. Students flip two cards. If they flip the prefix and its meaning
they keep the cards. Otherwise they turn the cards back upside down and play moves to the next
player.
• Make a List - Write a prefix on the board. Ask students to list as many words as they can think of
that use that prefix. Turn it into a competition. Direct students to write words on a piece of paper
for 1-3 minutes. The person who lists the most words wins.
• Word Sums - make “word problems” much like in math where the students add a prefix to words,
the write the definition.
• Latin prefixes often change to conform to the spelling of the first letter of the base word.
(in-, ir-, il-, im- indescribably, irregular, illiterate, improper)
Add a Suffix
• Suffix - A letter or letters attached to the end of the word. Suffixes most commonly change the
part of speech of the word.
• A list of the most common suffixes can be found in Uncovering the Logic of English p.184
• Provide students with a base word. Direct them to change the word by adding suffixes. How
many new words can they create? Use each word in a sentence. How does the suffix change the
meaning?
• Word sums - Provide students with a base word + a suffix. Direct them to use the suffix flow chart
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
to correctly add the suffixes to each word.
• Word Matrices - Direct students to create word matrices beginning with a base word and adding
suffixes and prefixes. To purchase a DVD of matrices visit www.realspelling.com.
Bound Bases
Root
Meaning
adroit
agri
anthrobibliobio
cede
ceed
cephacept
cess
chrom
field
joint
life
go
go
head
go
color
cred
believe
cycle
dem
dia
circle
dict-
speak
dyna
power
flect, flex,
bend
frag- fract-
break
geo
earth
Example words
adroitly, adroitness, maladroit, maladroitness,
agricultural, agriculturalist, agribusiness
anthropod,
biography, biology, biologist, biosphere, symbiosis, biopsy
precede, precedence, recede, concede, intercede, antecedent, precedent,
procedure
exceed, proceed,
hydrocephalic, electroencephalogram (EEG)
abscess, access, accessory, accessible, cessation, cession, process (go forward),
success, successor
chromatic,
accredited, credential, credence, credible, credit, credulous, incredulous, discredit,
creed, creditor
bicycle, tricycle, motorcycle, epicycle, recycle, unicycle
democracy, demagogue, endemic, pandemic
prediction, dictator, indict, dictum, dictation, verdict, dictionary, contradict,
dictation, benediction, jurisdiction
aerodynamics, dynamite, dynamo, dynamic, dynamism, dynasty, electrodynamics, hydrodynamics, thermodynamics,
circumflex, flexible, flexibility, flexor, retroflex, inflexible, reflexes, deflect,
deflection, inflection, inflected, reflect, reflection, reflecting, deflector, reflector
fractal, fraction, fracture, refract, fractional, fractured, fraction, infraction,
refraction, fragment, fragile, fragmented, fragrancy, suffrage (to break into an
issue)
geology, geography, geode,
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
graph-,
gram-
gramheliohydrohydraject
join
judjunctjuris-, jus-,
jurkinesislateral
autograph, autographed, autographing, bibliography, biography, biographical,
biographically, biographer, calligraphy, calligrapher, calligraphy, cardiograph, cardiography, choreograph,
choreographer, choreography, cinematography, cinematographer, electrocarpicture
diograph, ethnography, geographical, graph, graphite, heliograph, holograph,
holographic, homograph, ideograph, lithograph,
mammography, monograph, oceanography, paragraph, phonograph, photography, photographer,
pictograph, radiography, seismograph, spectrograph, telegraph, topography
letter, some- anagram, centigram, (a weight that has been written down...), diagram, hologram,
thing written ideogram, kilogram, logogram, phonogram, pictogram, program, programmer,
down
programmed, programming, reprogram, seismogram, spectrogram, telegram
heliotropic, heliotrope, heliotropism, heliocentric, heliograph, heliography,
sun
heliostat, spectroheliograph, spectrohelioscope
hydrate, dehydrate, dehydration, hydrometer, hydraulic, hydrotherapy,
water
hydroplane
deject, reject, eject, conjecture, eject, inject, object, project, subject, interject,
throw
projector, jettison, projectile, trajectory
join
joint, rejoin, disjoined
justice, law judicial, judge,
joint
junction, conjunction, adjunct, injunction
jurist, jury, justice, just, justify, perjury, justification, abjure, jurisdiction
justice
movement
side
lithic
rock
logos
loque,
logue
magni
word, study
speak
great, big
man,
manu-
hand,
meter,
metre
measure
metry
mit-, mis-
measure
send
mono
one
naut-
ships
kinematic, kinematical, kinescope,
unilateral, bilateral, multilateral, trilateral, collateral
endolithic, lithography, lithographic, lithograph, lithosphere, megalith, megalithic,
monolith, monolithic, photolithography
logic, -ology,
eloquence, magniloquence, loquacious, elocution, grandiloquent, dialogue,
epilogue, prologue, catalogue
magnify, magnificent, magnificently, magnitude, magniloquence
manacles, manager (someone with the upperhand), emancipate, mandate,
manicure, manipulate, manual (handbook), manufacture, manuscript
(handwritten)
accelerometer, barometer, calorimeter, hydrometer, hygrometer, kilometer,
meterstick, millimeter, meter, odometer, seismometer, telemeter, thermometer,
voltmeter
asymmetry, biometry, geometry, symmetry, telemetry,
transmit, intermission, mission, dismiss, submit, remit, emit, missile, omit, admit
monopoly, monarchy, monochromatic, monocle, monolith (made of one
stone), monorail, monologue, monomer, monotone, monolingual monogram,
monotonous
nautical, astronaut, aquanaut, argonaut, nautilus,
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
navnomen-,
-nym
ortho
philiaphobiaphone-
photo-
pod, ped
port
portion
positumruptsacre
sanct
sciescribscript
sectsociosona-,
sonus-
ship
navy, naval, navigate, circumnavigate, navigable, navigator,
nominate, nominal, nomination, nomenclature, denomination, denominator,
name
pseudonym, antonym, synonym, homonym
straight
orthodontist, orthopedic, orthodox,
audiophile, bibliophile, hemophilia, philosopher, philosophy, philanthropist,
love
philanthropic, philanthropy, philologist, philogynist, Philadelphia
acrophobia, arachophobia, anthrophobia, claustrophobia, claustrophobic,
fear
hydrophobia,
phonogram, phonograph, phonology, euphonic, homophone, megaphone,
sound
microphone, saxophone, telephone, allophone, phoneme, phonemic, symphony,
xylophone, vibraphone, speakerphone, telephonic
photocopy, photocopier, photocopies, photocopying, photocopied, photo,
photon, photocell, photochemistry, photosensor, photocurrent, photoengraving, photographic, photography, photographing, photojournalism, photometer,
light
photoreceptor,
photosensitive, photosensitivity, photosynthesis, phototropism, photovoltaic,
rephotograph, spectrographic, telephoto
pedal, pediatrist, podiatry, pedometer, pedestrian, quadraped, pseudopod,
foot
cephalopod (octopus, squid), peddler, centipede, millipede,pedicure, tripod
carry, place of porter, portable, import, export, report, support, portage, deport, portfolio,
entry
airport, rapport (to carry before...)
disproportionate, apportioned, proportionate,
pose, position, deposit, dispose, expose, repose, repository, depose, impose,
place, put
juxtapose, component, oppose, possess, compose, composition,
erupt, erupted, eruption, disruption, rapture, interrupt, interruption, corrupt,
break
corruption, corrupted, corruptible, abrupt, abruptly, bankrupt, bankruptcy, bankrupted, incorruptible
holy
sacrament, sacrosanct, sacred, sacrilege, sacrifice
holy
sanctimony, sanctimonious, sanctuary, sanctified, sanction, sacrosanct
knowledge science, conscience,
write
scribble, scribe, describe, inscribe, (inscription) prescribe, (prescription)
manuscript, transcript, prescription, description, conscript (to sign up for miliwrite
tary service,) subscript, prescript, circumscription (Maybe for a multiple choice
example...), scripture
bisect, dissection, insect, intersect, section, sectional sectarian, sectional, sector,
cut
trisect,
social, association, associate, disassociate, insociable, sociableness, socials,
friendliness
unsociable, society, socialite, sociology, sociopath, unsocial, antisocial
assonance, assonant, consonance, consonant, resonate, resonance, resonator,
sound
sonnet, sonata, sonatina, sound, sonic, sonar, sonata, consonant,
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
spect-
to look at
strict-
drawn
together
struct-
build
thesis-
place,
position
terra
earth
therm
heat
tract-
pull
trope-,
tropic
turn
verb
word
vert-
turn
video-,
visum-
see
viv-, vit-
life
spectacles, spectacle, circumspection, inspect, introspection, perspective,
respect, retrospective, spectator, speculate, prospectus, conspectus (multiple
choice?),
irrespective, spectrum, inspector, inspection
constrict, constriction, constricted, constrictor, district, restrict, restricted,
restriction, strict,
structure, destructive, destruction, infrastructure, instruct, instruction, instructor,
obstruction, obstructed, reconstruct, restructure, substructure, superstructure,
structural
thesis, parenthesis, synthetic,
terrace, terrain, terrarium, mediterranean, terra cotta, subterranean, territory,
extraterrestrial
thermodynamics, thermometer, thermos, thermostat, endothermic, exothermic,
thermal, therms
tractor, traction, abstract, distraction, distract, contract, contraction, extract,
extraction, protract, protracted, retract, retracted, retraction, subtract, subtraction, subtracted, attract, attraction, attractive
allotropic, allotropes, entropy, geotropic, heliotropic, phototropic, tropic, tropics,
tropical (turned toward the sun), catastrophe, catastrophic, thermotropic, trophy, (Tropic of Capricorn, Tropic of Cancer - where summer and winter solstice
occurs and the sun seems to turn in the sky. In the tropics the sun shines straight
down.)
adverb, adverbial, proverb, proverbial, reverb, reverberate, verbal, verbalization,
verbalized, verbalizing, verbally, verbatim, verbosity, verboten
invert, revert, reverted, introvert, introversion, extrovert, extroversion, subvert,
subversion, divert, diversion, convert, conversion, diversify, conversation, convertible,
converted
television, video, evidence, advise, invisible, vision, revise, revision, provision,
provide
revive, vivid, vital, vitamin, survivor, revitalize, vivisection (full of life), survival,
vitality
www.LogicOfEnglish.com
How to Leverage Morphology
Tricky Spelling Words
• Teach words with related roots and spellings.
(ex. two - twin, twice, twelve, twenty. one - alone, lone)
Schwa Sounds
• Schwa - a distorted vowel sound in an unaccented syllable.
• If you hear a schwa sound, think of derivatives to find a word where the sound is clearly pronounced.
Vocabulary
• Take time to introduce related words to help students draw a connection to content vocabulary.
Unknown Words in a Text
• Teach students to think of similar words when they encounter an unknown vocabulary word.
Naming Inventions
Fun ways to practice words
• Word Matrix
• Choose a root prefix or suffix for the day. Encourage students to find examples of the root in their
outside reading.
• When a new vocabulary word is encountered in a subject area, ask the student to isolate the root,
prefixes, suffixes, and to list other words that use the root, prefixes, and suffixes.
• Word Games
Word Search Website
•
www.morewords.com
www.LogicOfEnglish.com