Decoding and Spelling Big Words

Antidisestablishmentarianism

Teaching Common Prefixes and Suffixes

• 4 prefixes un, re, in and dis, accounts for 58 percent of prefix words

• 16 other prefixes account for 95 percent of all other the prefix words

• Suffixes s/es, ed and ing, account for 65 percent of suffix words

• 11 other suffixes account 87 percent of all the suffix words

Word Detectives for Prefixes

• Write 9 words that start with “re” on note cards

• 3 of the words mean back• 3 of the words mean again• 3 have no apparent meaning Back Again No Meaning rebound redo record return replay responsible replace rework reveal

“UnPeelable”

• These “unpeelable” prefixes do not leave recognizable words when they are “peeled off”.

• Con- Construction, Concrete, Conversation

• Em- Employee, Embassy• Ex- Explain, expensive• Per- Personality, and Permanent

Word Detectives for Suffixes

People Who Do Things That Do

reporter copier teacher computer manager heater “More” No Meaning fatter under richer after greater winter

Teaching Common Roots

• Root is a morpheme, the basic part of the word to which affixes are added

• Start off with the word play• Write the word on the board• Tell students that a word like play can become a big

word when parts are added to the beginning and ending of a word

Replay Plays ballplayerOverplay PlayerOutplay Playedmisplay playfullness

The Nifty Thrifty Fifty

• Examples for words that are familiar to children that have prefixes and/or suffixes.

• http://www.deerriver.k12.mn.us/documents/games/nifty50.htm

It’s as Easy

How to figure out a big word• Different People like different kinds of

entertainment.• The “big” in this sentence is entertainment• Cover up everything but enter- • Cover up everything but –tain-• Repeat with –ment

Big Word Collectors• Topic Board• Say it better word - little words that can turn into big

words that mean the same thing• Encourage students to make their

own topics and look up big words that relate to the topic