1. The Word Identification Strategy

2. This strategy will help you dissect long words that you encounter when you’re reading.
Most of you will learn to use this strategy in this room within 3-4 weeks.
This is another life-long strategy.
It will also help you with comprehension and reading fluency, since you will learn how to dissect the longer words that make reading difficult.

3. Does anyone know what “dissect” mean?
It means to divide something or cut something into several parts.
You’ll be cutting the words up into short pieces that you can easily pronounce.
Then you can easily pronounce the entire word.

4. If you are able to pronounce any word you encounter, you will be more likely to understand and more able to discuss what you read.
How will this help you in classes such as English, Science, and Social Studies?
That’s right! You’ll be better able to answer questions in class and in your reading assignments.
That's Cool!

5. Can you think of situations when this happens?
You can use the Word Identification Strategy any time you are reading something and come upon a long word you’ve never seen before.
Can you think of situations when this happens?

6. Now Let’s go over the steps of the Word Identification Strategy.
Keep your cue cards in your folder, so you will be able to refer to them whenever you need them.
D-I-S-S-E-C-T!

7. Step 1: Discover the context
Play: Context Clue Song!!
The context is the meaning of the other words that surround the difficult word.
Sometimes, if you know the meaning of the words surrounding a difficult word, you can guess what the word is.
Figure it out!

8. What do you usually do when you come to a difficult word?
That’s right! You usually stop to try to figure it out. Well, this requires you to do just the opposite; you need to skip the difficult word and keep reading to finish the sentence in which it occurs.

9. Why would reading the whole sentence help you figure out a word?
It helps you to think about the meaning of the sentence and to try to guess the best word that will fit in place of the difficult word.
If you can’t think of a word that matches, you need to go to step 2...

10. Direct definition context clues are words that say, “Stop - don’t touch that dictionary. The definition of the word you don’t know is right here in the text!"
EXAMPLES:
There are many theories, or ideas, about what made the Ice Ages happen.
In this sentence the word “ideas” tells us that theories are different thoughts people have about something.
After a time, glaciers, or slowly moving rivers of ice, formed over many parts of the Earth.
In this sentence the words “slowly moving rivers of ice” tell us what glaciers are.

11. Synonym context clues are words around a difficult word that mean the same or nearly the same as the word.
EXAMPLES:
After seeing the picture of the starving children, we felt compassion or pity for their suffering.
In this sentence the word “pity” tells us that compassion means to have understanding for.
Mary admonished her students and they knew they were in hot water for their actions.
In this sentence the words “in hot water” tell us that admonished means cautioned or scolded.

12. Antonym context clues are words around a difficult word that mean the opposite or nearly the opposite as the word.
EXAMPLE:
Joe was reluctant to take the job of captain of the team. He was afraid that the time it would take would hurt his grades. On the other hand, Billy was eager for the chance to be the team captain.
In this sentence the words “on the other hand” and “eager” tell us that Billy feels the opposite of Joe, therefore, reluctant means uncertain or cautious.

13. Let’s Look for clues in this Activity!
Your friend Ryan has moved to a new country and is learning a new language. Read what he wrote in his diary and see if you can figure out the meaning to the underlined words.
Dear Diary,
I overslept this morning. I had to eat my bowl of poof-poofs very quickly, and I almost missed the tramzam. When I got to school, I realized I had forgotten my zilgping . Luckily, Ms. Jutzi is very zoosh, and told me I could bring it tomorrow.
After school, some friends and I played plingming. It’s a new game I am learning. We scored 7 points and they only scored 5 points, so we were the zoiters!
Dad says that next weekend we’re going to the fladder . I can’t wait! I love to swim and play in the sand. I hope I don’t get a sunburn though.
Well, I better go to bed soon. I don’t want to wake up late again and miss my tramzam!
Until tomorrow,
Ryan
In pairs, write the words with possible meanings.

14. And the answers are! What could the word poof-poofs mean?
The sentences tell me it is something that can be eaten. I know that it is a breakfast food because Ryan said it was morning. I also know that it goes in a bowl. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be a type of cereal.
What could the word tramzam mean?
The sentences tell me that Ryan was going to school and he almost missed his tramzam. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be a school bus.
What could the word zilgping mean?
The sentences tell me that it is something Ryan needed at school. I also know that it is ok if he brings it tomorrow. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be Ryan’s homework.
What could the word zoosh mean?
The sentences tell me that a person can act this way and that Ms. Jutzi is being kind and allowing Ryan to bring his homework the next day. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be friendly or understanding.

15. The rest are! What could the word plingming mean?
The sentences tell me it is a game Ryan and his friends play against each other and that points can be scored. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be a sport such as basketball or soccer.
What could the word zoiters mean?
The sentences tell me that Ryan’s team scored 7 points while the other team scored less points. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be that it means winners.
What could the word fladder mean?
The sentences tell me that Ryan’s dad said he could go there and when he gets there they will swim and play in the sand. Ryan also mentions not wanting a sunburn. What do you think it is?
The most logical guess would be a lake or a beach.

16. Let’s examine what context is…
Practice #1-2
Practice #3-4
Context Clues Exercise
Word Clue Activity
TV Activity
English Zone Activity
Context Clues Pretest
Context Clues Posttest

17. More Activities for Later…
Print and Do Worksheet
Context Clues Practice Sheets

18. Prefix & Suffix Rap Song Prefix Suffix Video Clip
Prefixes & Suffixes
Prefix & Suffix Rap Song
Prefix Suffix Video Clip

19. Step 2: Isolate the prefix
A prefix consists of one or more letters at the beginning of a word.
There are 56 you will learn.
To isolate the prefix, you look at the beginning of the word to see if the initial letters match any of the prefixes you know.
Then isolate it by making a bar.

20. There are 56 prefixes! You have a cue card!
ab-
ac-
ad-
Ante-
Anti-
Ap- (up)
At-
Auto-
Be-
Bi-
Circum-
Col-
Com-
Con-
De-
Dem-
Di-
Dis-
Dys-
Em-
En-
Epi-
Ex-
For-
Fore-
Hydro-
Hyper-

21. In-
Inter-
Intro-
Loco-
Mis-
Mono-
Multi-
Non-
Ob-
Of- (off)
Op- (up)
Para-
Per-
Post-
Pre-
Pro-
Re-
Retro-
Se-
Sub-
Super-
Sur-
Tele-
Trans-
Tri-
Ultra-

22. Before you go on to step 3...
Some of the prefixes are included in other prefixes.
For example,”de” is included in “dem”.
That means you have to be very careful when you see a word starting with “de”
What are some other prefixes on the list that are contained in other prefixes?

23. Also... Look for compound prefixes. For example, “pro-se-cute”
Make two marks to isolate each prefix.

24. Let’s try a practice!
Prefix Matching

25. Step 3: Separate the suffix
A suffix is group of letters that comes at the end of a word.
Let’s look at the list.
Make sure you find each complete suffix and mark it.
Look for compound suffixes too.

26. Some words include two or more suffixes or a “compound suffix”.
What are the two suffixes in this word?
Helplessness
That’s right!
“less” and “ness”
Separate them both

27. Suffix List -able -age -al -ance -ar -ant -ate -ble -cy -ed -en -ence
-ent
-er
-es
-est
-ey
-ful
-gamy
-gon
-hood
-ial
-ible
-ic

28. -ice (is) -ing -ment -ion -ish -ism -ist -ite (it) -ity -ive (iv)
-ize (eyes)
-less
-logy
-ly
-man
-ment
-ness
-or
-ous
-ry
-ship
-sion
-tion
-tive
-ty
-ual
-ure
-ward -y

29. Let’s Practice!
Suffix Practice

30. To review this third step, you look at the end of the word to see if the last letters match any of the suffixes you know.
Then go to step 4!

31. Step 4: Say the stem
The stem of a word is left after you take away the prefix and the suffix.
If there is no prefix or suffix then the whole word is the stem.

32. Let’s try an example... Unfairly What is the prefix?
What is the suffix?
What is the stem?
If you can say the stem you need to go to step 5.

33. Step 5: Examine the stem
When you examine the stem, you need to dissect it into easy-to-pronounce parts.
You’ll need to apply the Rules of Twos and Threes.
superscription

34. Let’s practice!
Fish tank

35. The Rule of Twos and Threes is:
V-2
Vowel
Divide after 2
C-3
Consonant
Divide after 3
If a stem begins with a vowel, separate the first two letters to pronounce
If the stem begins with a consonant, separate the first three letters to pronounce.

36. Let’s look at an example...
Try to remember!
V-2
C-3
Al/ter-nat/or
Keep applying the rules until you’re done with the stem.

37. Step 6: Check with someone
It is only used after you’ve tried the first five steps and you still can’t figure out how to pronounce the word.
Can you tell me what the word is?
Who would be a good person to ask?
How do you pronounce this word?

38. Step 7: Try the dictionary
It is to be used when you can’t find someone to ask or when the people you ask don’t know the word either.
Look it up in the dictionary and check the pronunciation guide that usually follows the word.
Oh no! Not the Dictionary!

39. Online Dictionaries help too! Some have audio too!
Merriam Webster
Dictionary.com
Webster's Dictionary
Yahoo Kids Dictionary
Word Central
MSN Encarta

40. Now you know what D-I-S-S-E-C-T means!!
Let’s Try a
Rapid Fire Drill