BUILDING WORD POWER FOR EFFECTIVE READING

Why Word Power?• Word power is closely related to academic success. Anderson and

Freebody (1981) report a strong relationship between vocabulary and academic performance, IQ test results, and predicting reading comprehension across age groups and content areas.

• Klausmeir and Sipple (1980) define concept knowledge in terms of word knowledge. A concept is the socially accepted meaning of one or more words. The number of words a student knows represents the concepts and information that he/she knows. Vocabulary knowledge implies a rich understanding of the word. It means knowing a word by definition and associating experiences with that word.

• Episodic memory is specific. It contains events that have occurred. Semantic memory is more general. It contains decontextualized information extracted from episodic memory.

• Word knowledge is made up of specific events that gradually transform to general characteristics.

Underwood (1969) lists 9 cues associated with information stored in long-term memory.

• Acoustic – recalling a word on the basis of its sound (e.g., gobble, goggle)• Affective – recalling information because of an associated emotion (e.g.,

remembering the day your team lost in the championship game because that made you sad)

• Context – recalling information because of the general context in which it appeared.

• Frequency – recalling how often an event occurred (e.g., remembering that your teacher said “Ah” every time she paused)

• Modality – recalling an event because it made a strong impression on you visually, auditorily, tacitly (e.g., remembering the joint Christmas p0resentation of the Bayanihan Dancers and the Madrigal Singers at the Cultural Center of the Philippines)

• Spatial – recalling where objects are in relation to one another (e.g., remembering that you sat in front of a girl with short, curly hair in third grade)

• Temporal –recalling when something occurred (e.g., remembering your first dance in school )

• Verbal – recalling information because of a word associated with it (e.g., remembering the events of a class excursion when you hear the words Super Sunday )

• Visual – recalling a mental image associated with information (e.g., remembering the term fireworks because it elicits a strong image )

What Are Some Guiding Principles of Vocabulary Instruction?

• Wide reading and language-rich activities should be the primary vehicles for vocabulary learning.

• General language development must be encouraged as one of the most important word-building strategies.

• Direct vocabulary instruction should focus on words considered important to a given content area or to general background knowledge

• Instruction should include many ways mof knowing a word and speed training to build automatically in word recognition.

• Instruction should provide for the development of a complex level of word knowledge.

• It should utilize various forms such as mental pictures, smells, tastes, kinesthetic associations, semantic distinctions, and linguistic references.

• Instruction should emphasize a structure by which new words not taught directly can be learned readily.

• Instruction should be multifaceted, including associating new words with a variety of contexts, creating contexts for words, contrasting words to discover relationships, and using the words outside the class.

• Instruction should be fruitful by grouping words in semantic categories and teaching them in relation to one another.

• Since frequently used words have multiple meanings, instruction should include connotative, denotative, lexical, syntactical, and figurative meanings.

• A very economical and effective way of developing vocabulary is through the use of programmed instruction.

Word Formation

Clipping

• Clipping is a very common process in word formation. To clip means to cut off the beginning or the end of the word. It may mean cutting from both ends, leaving a part to stand for the whole.

Blending

• Some words are formed by fusing or putting two words together. Usually the first part of one word is blended or fused wit5h the last part of another. The blended word then gets its meaning from the part of another. The blended word then gets its meaning from the two words put together. Some blended words do not last. Like other words, they are forgotten.

Compounding

• In your reading you often meet compound words. These are two or three words put together o make a full form. Most often the meaning of the word is different from its parts. Sometimes it is the meaning of the two words put together. These two words are often written as separate words. At other times, a hyphen separates them.

Acronymy

• Many government agencies and business firms use acronyms, words formed from initial letter or syllables or several words in succession.

Folk or Popular Etymology

• Sometimes, the meaning of a word is wrongly rationalized in terms of some word or idea to which it is felt to have resemblance. To bring these two words in line, the connection leads to change in the form of one or the two words.

A Programmed Material on Word-Learning Skills

Segment 1: Picture Clues

A ______ is a light , sharp, pointed sword.

Answer: rapier

Segment 2: Contextual Clues

Each of the following sentences contains a clue that will help you choose the right answer. The clue may be one of the following: a definition, a familiar expression, a contrast or a comparison, a synonym or an antonym, and a summary.

A group of people living together in a specific locality who have a common government and who share a certain cultural and historical heritage is called a ( community, democracy, sociologist).

Answer: community

Segment 3: Phonetic Analysis

Learning a new word by associating it with the sound of a similar and familiar one makes use of the technique called phonetic analysis.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wallHumpty Dumpy had a great fall,

the words that rhyme are Humpty and _________, wall and _______.

Answer: Dumpty fall

Segment 4: Structural Analysis

Structural analysis is the means by which we identify the parts of a word which form meaning units or pronunciation units within the word. It also means learning to attack a new word by studying the its roots and affixes.

The peace-and-order situation in the country is said to be rapidly going down from bad to worse. We can say that is __________. Answer: deteriorating

Energizers in Reading

Energizers in Reading

• Students need some recreatory type of reading. This may be reading any kind of book borrowed from the school library or playing an educational game to reinforce vocabulary skills.

• Word pyramid will help develop skills in classification and categorization. Treasure Hunt with Vowels will aid in student mastery of the sounds of vowels and in the choice of the letters that stand for the sounds. Word race will improve the student’s ability to pronounce, spell, and use words in a sentence. Mountain Climbing with Root Words on the other hand, will help the student in picking out root words and in structural analysis.

Game 1: Word Pyramid

• Prepare 14 lists and write each lists on a small slip of paper. The words in each list should belong to the same category. Number the slips of paper 1 to 14. Then draw this pyramid of numbersa on the chalkboard. The numbers in the pyramid will represent the categories.

• Divide the class into two teams, A and B. have each team choose a scorer. You may serve as timekeeper.

• The first player of team A chooses any number in the pyramid. He/She then reads the corresponding category and recites words listed under this category. The team gets a point for every correct word given. Each player is given 15 seconds to answer.

• The first player of team B gets his/her turn. This is done repeatedly until all the players have had their turn. The team with the most number of points wins.

1 2

3 4 5 6

7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Sample categories and word lists:

Landforms mountain hill plateau valley plain island peninsula

WaterForms sea ocean river lake brook stream waterfall

Game 2: Treasure Hunt with Vowels

• Prepare game board markers for players, spinner or number lots, and small cards, each containing a word from the list below. (Only the words should appear).

• Each player chooses a marker, and everybody puts his/her respective marker at Start.

• The first player spins for or draws a number. The number at which the spinner stops or the number drawn by the player tells how many spaces he/she has to move his/her marker.

• But before moving the marker, the player has to draw a word card, read the word aloud, sound the vowel in the word, and tell the letter or letters that stand for the vowel sound. Other group members see to it that the responses are correct. If a response is incorrect, the player stays in the same place.

• The next player takes his/her turn and the procedure in the number two is followed.

• The game continues with the players taking turns. • The first one who gets to the “treasure” wins the game.

Word Letters That Stand for the Vowel Sound

Word Letters That Stand for the Vowel Sound

steep ee coast oa

reach ea road oa

break ea preach ea

paint ai jealous ea

haul au aide ai

raid ai great ea

gaudy au steer ee

TREASURE

47 46 45 44 43 42

35 36 37 38 39 40 41

34 33 32 31 30 29 28

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

20 19 18 17 16 15 14

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

6 5 4 3 2 1 START

Game 3: Word Race

• Prepare a game board with numbers and colors (red, green, and blue), markers for the players, spinner or number lots, and cards with the words below:

• Each player chooses a marker and places it at Start. • The first player spins for or draws a number. He/She moves the marker by

as many spaces as shown by the number drawn or at which the spinner stops.

• The color indicated at the space where the player’s marker stops gives the task to be done. If the marker lands in a red space, the player pronounce the word he/she has drawn from the word cards. If it lands in a green space, he/she has to use the word in a sentence. If it lands in a blue space, the player must give the meaning of the word. If the board indicates that the word should be spelled, a member of the opposite team draws the card for the player who is given the word to spell.

• If the task is done correctly, the player’s marker stays where it is. If the task is wrong, the player moves the marker back to where it came from. The player also gets the number of points indicated in the space where the marker lands. The one who gets the highest point wins the game.

abdomen achievement affection appetite

comfortable conquer coward fragrant generous

graceful miserable nectar nutritious

hatred ideal oppose sacrifice liberty metal quiet

encourage barren bleed

49 50 30 51 52 10 53 54 Spell the word.

55

48 Spell the word.

47 46 10 45 30

44 Spell the word.

43 10

42

35 36 20 37 38 Spell the word.

39 40 20

41

34 10 33 32 30 31 20 30 Spell the word.

29 28 10

21 20 22 23 Spell the word.

24 10 25 26 30 27

20 Spell the word.

19 18 30 17 16 10 15 14 20

7 30 8 9 20

10 11 30 12 Spell the word.

13

6 5 Spell the word.

4 3 10 2 1 20 START

Game 4: Mountain Climbing with Root Words

• Prepare a game board, markers for the players, spinners or number lots and cards, containing a word from the list below.

• Each player chooses a marker and places it at Start.• The first player spins for or draws a number. Then he/she

draws a word card, read the word aloud, and gives the root word. If the answer is correct, the player moves the marker to as many spaces as indicated by the number drawn or at which the spinner stops. If the answer is incorrect, the player does not move the marker.

• The game continues with all the players taking turns. • The one who reaches the “mountaintop” first is the

winner.

List of Words

wooden merciless rainy usable appearance priceless decision heavenly illegal

prayer abnormal goodness

hopeful beautiful foolish

actor

development

FINISH 47 46 45 44 43 42

35 36 37 38 39 40 41

34 33 32 31 30 29 28

21 22 23 24 25 26 27

20 19 18 17 16 15 14

7 8 9 10 11 12 13

6 5 4 3 2 1 START

Here are a few pointers on the use of games according to David Russel and Etta E. Karp (1972).

• Reading games and devices are intended to supplement, not replace, work with readers and other books.

• The material used should provide variety and fun or a well-rounded reading program.

• A particular activity should be chosen not at random but because it will help an individual pupil or a group.

• Many of the activities may be adapted to the needs of a pupil or group by changing the vocabulary or some rules of the game.

• Adaptation, not adoption, of the devices should be the rule. • The equipment for some of the activities may be placed from time

to time on a shelf of reading games with which the pupils may work in their free time.

• New reading games should be introduced to the pupils so that they will know how the games will help their reading and so that they can use them singly, in pairs, or in small groups without direct teacher guidance.

• Reading activities should be used to provide self-competition rather than competition between individuals of varied activities.

• Observation of the pupil’s use of the reading games may be helpful to the teacher by diagnosing reading difficulties.

• More advanced activities may be developed to improve study habits and skills.