I teach a vocabulary class that does not use a textbook. Therefore, it is up to me to create and provide lists of words that I believe are most useful for my students. I pull from several sources and organize word lists in various ways. One list might include words that are all verbs or adjectives along with a list of affixes that students will use to create derivatives of the given words. Another list may be composed of words that are all derived from the same Greek or Latin root. Every list includes space for students to write derivations and contextual examples relevant to each individual student.
Given the unique lists of words I give my students, they would not find a website that uses all of the words they have learned. I would use the following two websites to have students challenge themselves outside of class with unfamiliar words using vocabulary skills we have studied in class.
I would like students to visit this site and focus on the sections entitled "Knowing the Roots" and "Learning Prefixes and Suffixes". Students would go through the different roots and affixes and locate other words that use these roots and affixes in books they are reading, textbooks, magazines, websites. They would write a brief explanation of the word's meaning as it relates to the root/affix.
This site offers all kinds of practice quizzes. This particular quiz will allow students to practice with common morphemes. I would also encourage students to challenge themselves with the other vocabulary quizzes as well.
I think the website you have provided, 'Building a Better Vocabulary,' is a great website. As you pointed out, I agree that the section about "Knowing the Roots" is a good part for students to focus on. It is easy to navigate and clearly states some of the most common roots students will be faced with. I think learning the roots is one of the best ways to increase vocabulary. If students were to become familiar with these roots, I think they would see a great increase in their reading ability, as they would be able to decipher many words through the root and context clues alone.
ReplyDeleteI think your idea of having students locate roots and then going through their own reading to find words using these roots is a great idea. It will help students see these roots in a real context and they will become more familiar with them with each instance in which they appear.