1. Reading Strategies
Workshop
“Unlocking the World of
Words”
Interpret and Increase
Vocabulary by Using
and

2. Questions???
How many of you have more than five
uninterrupted hours a day to devote
to reading?
How many of you always understand
every word you read?
How many of you have/use a cell
phone?

3. PURPOSE Affects Reading Rate!
Factors that Affect Reading Rate
– Your reading purpose
– Prior knowledge
– Your interest level
– Complexity of material
Factors that
Affect
Reading
Rate
Your
reading
purpose
Prior
knowledge
Your
interest
level
Complexity
of material
Learning Reading
Rate
100-200 words per
minute
Average Reading
Rate
200-350 words per
minute
Casual Reading
Rate
350-600 words per
minute

4. Wittgenstein
“The limits of my
language mean the
limits of my world.”

5. If language creates our
understanding of the world……
• Probably the one activity that will
most improve your vocabulary is
reading.
• One important skill you need to
develop is figuring out the meaning
of words you do not know from
the context of the reading
itself.

6. To Be the Best WORD
DETECTIVE You Can Be……
1. Identify your purpose
2. Identify your previous knowledge
3. Preview the reading
4. Predict what you will learn and pose
questions.
5. In other words, find your TOPIC
and MAIN IDEA and turn the
MAIN IDEA into a question.

7. Practice:
• Purpose: please read following
paragraph to determine the
author’s main point/idea.
• Previous knowledge: What
experience do you have with
childhood friends?
• Preview and Predict: With a quick
scan, identify what you think the
paragraph might be about.
• Attempt to determine topic and
ask a guiding question…

8. Childhood Friends
Yesterday, when I went to the
osmotle to buy some wattish for
dinner, I saw a slampfer I knew when I
was 10 years old. He smiled and was
very ovish to see me, but I was amvish
to see him because I had some bad
dosilums from the last time I had seen
him. We exchanged flabruations, and
it seemed as if the previous
montafottapottafell was no longer an
issue. Happily, we parted chrits with a
promise to schgrop again sometime in
the future.
Practice Paragraph
for Context

9. What the what?!
• Based on the paragraph on the slide before, please
use context clues to define what the following words
could be:
• osmotle
• wattish
• slampfer
• Ovish
• amvish
• dosilums
• flabruations
• montafottapottafell
• chrits
• to schgrop

10. There are FOUR types of
Context Clues
• Four types of context clues:
–Definition and synonym
clues
–Example clues
–General Information
clues
–Contrast clues

11. Definition and Synonym
Clues
• Synonym: A word that has a
similar meaning to another word
• Clues:
– Between or after commas
– After certain words (is, are, means,
refers to, consists of, is called, that is, etc.)
– Between dashes
– In parentheses

12. Example Clues
• Sometimes you can figure out the
meaning of a word because you
understand the examples or
because both a definition and
examples are provided in the
reading.

13. General Information Clues
• Often you can understand an
unfamiliar word because you
already comprehend the rest of the
information in the surrounding
sentence or group of sentences.

14. Contrast Clues
• Contrast Clues:
– but
– in contrast to
– although
– on the other hand
– however
– unlike

15. CONTEXT CLUES – practice again
 Directions: Next to each word on this list indicate the
following by marking either a 1,2,or 3 in the first blank
to the right of the word.
 1 – I don’t know this word
 2 – I think I know the meaning of this word
 3 – I can define this word
 indolent ___ ___
 alfresco ___ ___
 canopy ___ ___
 donnybrook ___ ___
 antagonists ___ ___
 posthaste ___ ___

16. • It was a gorgeous day in late October, and
because I was sure this would be one of the last
great days before the onset of winter, I was
feeling extremely indolent and unwilling to
work. So I called my friend Jeanne and asked
her to play hooky from her job too and go out
to lunch. We decided to dine alfresco at a little
Italian café in our neighborhood. As we were
sitting under the striped canopy enjoying our
meal, a donnybrook broke out at a nearby
table. The antagonists were a group of
teenage boys who were evidently also playing
hooky that day. Because this tussle ruined the
serene and peaceful mood of our day, we asked
for the check and left the café posthaste.

17. Can you define the words below
based on the context clues in the
story?
• Indolent
• Alfresco
• Canopy
• Donnybrook
• Antagonists
• Posthaste

18. • Indolent – wanting to avoid activity
• Alfresco – taking place outdoors
• Canopy –covering of cloth held
with poles
• Donnybrook – a public brawl or
dispute
• Antagonists – one who opposes or
contends against another
• Posthaste – as fast as possible

19. An EASY Way to Remember
Context Clues…
Context clues
often appear in
the following
places:
• The sentence
with the
unknown
word
• The sentence
before
• The sentence
after

20. But What if I Cannot Figure Out the Meaning of
the Words from CONTEXT CLUES?!!

21. Never fear!
WORD PARTS are here!
(apologies to Edvard Munch)

22. If language creates our
understanding of the world……
• Probably the other activity that will
most improve your vocabulary is
exposure to new words. (see AWL list
at end)
• One important skill you need to
develop is figuring out a strategy for
when you encounter (yay!) new words,
such as the strategy of using word
parts.

23. Word Parts Activity
Directions:
-Please get into groups and assign
each person a number 1-4.
-Please have assigned members go to
envelopes that correspond with
number and pull out a secret piece
of paper.
-Follow instructions on paper, and
the group who comes up with the
most examples wins!

24. WORD PARTS
• Prefix: Changes the meaning of the
root.
• Root: Carries out the main meaning
of the word. A word usually has at
least one root.
• Suffix: Changes the way a word is
used in a sentence.

25. Prefixes
Number
prefixes
Meaning Example 1 Example 2
Mono- One Monotonous
uni- One Unify
Bi- Two or Twice Biweekly
Tri- Three Triangle
Quad- Four Quadratic
Multi- Many Multipurpose
Poly- Many Polygamy
Semi- Half, Part Semicircle
Dec- Ten Decade

26. Prefixes
Negative or
Negation
prefixes
Meaning Example 1 Example 2
Ab- Away from,
from
Abnormal
Contra- Against Contradict
De- Reverse,
undo
Deactivate
Dis- Apart from,
Reversal of
Disapprove
Il- Not Illegible
Im- Not Immortal
In- Not Incomplete
Un- Not Unimportant
Mal- Bad, wrong Malfunction
Mis- wrong Mistake

27. Prefixes
Time
prefixes
Meaning Example 1 Example 2
Post After,
behind
Postpone
Pre Before Prefix
Proto First Prototype
Re again rewrite

28. Prefixes
Place or Position
prefixes
Meaning Example 1 Example 2
Circum Around Circumference
Peri Around Perimeter
Co With, together Cooperate
Col With, together Collaborate
Com With, together Communicate
Con With, together Connect
Sym With, together, similar Sympathetic
Syn With, together, similar Synonym
En In, put into Enclose
E Out, from Evade
Ex Out, from Expel
Inter Between, among International
Sub Follow, under, below Submarine
Tele Far off, distant Telepathy
Trans Across, over transfer

29. Other Common Prefixes
prefixes Meaning Example 1 Example 2
Bene Good, well Benefit
Hyper Over,
excessive
Hyperactive
Pro In favor of,
forward
progress

30. ROOTS

31. Suffix Salad…
Suffix Meanings Sample Words and Definitions -able able to be excitable, portable, preventable -ac pertaining to cardiac, hemophiliac, maniac -acity (-ocity) quality of
perspicacity, sagacity, velocity -ade act, action or process, product blockade, cavalcade, promenade, -age action or process passage, pilgrimage, voyage -aholic (-oholic) one with
an obsession for workaholic, shopaholic, alcoholic -al relating to bacterial, theatrical, natural -algia pain neuralgia, nostalgia, -an (-ian) relating to, belonging to Italian, urban,
African -ance state or quality of brilliance, defiance, annoyance -ant a person who applicant, immigrant, servant inclined to, tending to brilliant, defiant, vigilant -ar of or relating
to, being lunar, molecular, solar a person who beggar, burglar, liar -ard a person who does an action coward, sluggard, wizard -arian a person who disciplinarian, vegetarian,
librarian -arium (orium) a place for terrarium, aquarium, solarium -ary of or relating to literary, military, budgetary -ate state or quality of (adj.) affectionate, desolate,
obstinate makes the word a verb (different pronunciation) activate, evaporate, medicate -ation action or process creation, narration, emancipation -ative tending to (adj.)
creative, preservative, talkative -cide act of killing homicide, suicide, genocide -cracy rule, government, power bureaucracy, aristocracy, theocracy -crat someone who has power
aristocrat, bureaucrat, technocrat -cule diminutive (making something small) molecule, ridicule, -cy state, condition or quality efficiency, privacy, belligerency -cycle circle, wheel
bicycle, recycle, tricycle -dom condition of, state, realm boredom, freedom, wisdom -dox belief, praise orthodox, paradox -ectomy surgical removal of appendectomy,
hysterectomy -ed past tense called, hammered, laughed -ee receiver, performer nominee, employee, devotee -eer associated with/engaged in engineer, volunteer -emia blood
condition anemia, hypoglycemia, leukemia -en makes the word a verb awaken, fasten, strengthen -ence state or condition, action absence, dependence, negligence -ency condition
or quality clemency, dependency, efficiency -ent inclined to performing/causing, or one who performs/causes competent, correspondent, absorbent -er more bigger, faster,
happier action or process flutter, ponder, stutter a person who does an action announcer, barber, teacher -ern state or quality of eastern, northern, western -escence state or
process adolescence, convalescence -ese relating to a place Chinese, Congolese, Vietnamese -esque in the style of Kafkaesque, grotesque, burlesque -ess female actress, heiress,
lioness -est most funniest, hottest, silliest -etic relating to (makes the word an adj.) athletic, energetic, poetic -ette diminutive (makes something smaller) cigarette, diskette,
kitchenette -ful full of helpful, thankful, cheerful -fy make, cause (makes the word a verb) amplify, falsify, terrify -gam/gamy marriage, union monogam, polygamy -gon/gonic
angle hexagon, polygonic, pentagon -hood state, condition, or quality childhood, neighborhood, motherhood -ial relating to celestial, editorial, martial -ian relating to Martian,
utopian, pediatrician -iasis diseased condition elephantiasis, psoriasis -iatric healing practice pediatric, psychiatric, -ible able to be audible, plausible, legible -ic/ical relating to,
characterized by analytic/al, comic/al, organic -ile relating to, capable of agile, docile, volatile -ily in what manner sloppily, steadily, zanily -ine relating to canine, feminine,
masculine -ing materials bedding, frosting, roofing action or process dancing, seeing, writing -ion action or process celebration, completion, navigation -ious having the qualities
of, full of ambitious, cautious, gracious -ish relating to, characteristic apish, brutish, childish -ism state or quality altruism, despotism, heroism -ist a person, one who does an
action artist, linguist, pianist -ite resident of, follower, product of suburbanite, luddite, dynamite -itis inflammation, preoccupation appendicitis, tonsillitis, frontrunneritis -ity state,
condition, or quality abnormality, civility, necessity -ive inclined to; quality of; that which attractive, expensive, repulsive -ization act or process of making colonization,
fertilization, modernization -ize cause, treat, become antagonize, authorize, popularize -less without fearless, helpless, homeless -let version of booklet, droplet, inlet -like
resembling, characteristic childlike, homelike, lifelike -ling younger or inferior duckling, underling -loger/logist one who does astrologer, cardiologist, chronologer -log speech
dialog, monolog, -ly in what manner badly, courageously, happily -ment action, result movement, placement, shipment -ness state or quality (makes a noun) kindness, shyness,
weakness -oid resembling humanoid, tabloid, hemorrhoid -ology study of, science of anthropology, archaeology, biology -oma tumor, swelling carcinoma, osteoma, hematoma -
onym name, word synonym, antonym, homonym -opia eye defect myopia, nyctalopia, hyperopia -opsy examination biopsy, autopsy, necropsy -or a person who inventor,
legislator, translator -ory relating to armory, dormitory, laboratory -osis process, diseased condition diagnosis, prognosis, neurosis, psychosis -ostomy/otomy surgical colostomy,
lobotomy, craniotomy -ous full of hazardous, humorous, wondrous -path one who engages in homeopath, naturopath, psychopath -pathy feeling, diseased sympathy, apathy,
neuropathy -phile one who loves bibliophile, audiophile, pyrophile -phobia abnormal fear of acrophobia, claustrophobia, xenophobia -phone sound homophone, telephone,
microphone -phyte plant, to grow zoophyte, cryptophyte, epiphyte -plegia paralysis paraplegia, quadriplegia, hemiplegia -plegic one who is paralyzed paraplegic, technoplegic,
quadriplegic -pnea air, spirit apnea, hyperpnea, orthopnea -scopy/scope visual exam arthroscopy, gastroscopy, microscope -scribe/script to write transcript, describe,
manuscript -sect to cut dissect, insect, bisect -ship state or condition of, skill of authorship, citizenship, friendship -sion state or quality confusion, depression, tension -some
characterized by, group of cumbersome, quarrelsome, foursome -sophy/sophic wisdom, knowledge philosophy, theosophy, anthroposophic -th state or quality depth, length,
strength -tion state or quality attention, caution, fascination -tome/tomy to cut hysterectomy, epitome, tonsillotome -trophy nourishment, growth atrophy, hypertrophy,
dystrophy -tude state, condition or quality fortitude, gratitude, magnitude -ty state, condition or quality ability, honesty, loyalty -ular relating to or resembling cellular, circular,
muscular -uous state or quality of arduous, tumultuous, virtuous -ure action, condition closure, erasure, failure -ward specifies direction backward, eastward, homeward -ware
things of the same type or material hardware, software, kitchenware -wise in what manner of direction clockwise, lengthwise, otherwise -y made up of, characterized brainy, fruity,
gooey

32. Putting it all together?
Priceless.  Although, it also helps to
know how parts of speech work.

33. Remember…
Prefix = affects the meaning of the root.
Root = carries the meaning of the word.
Suffix = determines the way the word is
used in a sentence.

34. A Final Tip…
Make your book work for you!
Textbook Aids and Specialized
Vocabulary
• Textbooks usually explain specialized vocabulary (words that
relate to a specific academic discipline) when it is introduced.
They may contain the following aids:
– Boldfaced print that emphasizes words when they first appear
– Definitions in the margins of the reading itself
– “Key words and concepts” sections at the end of the chapter
– Vocabulary questions in the chapter reviews
– Glossaries at the end of the chapter and/or at the end of the
book

35. Putting it all Together
Context Clues
•Definition and synonym clues
•Example clues
•General information clues
•Contrast clues
Word Parts
•Prefixes
•Roots
•Suffixes
Four Main Parts of Speech
•Verbs
•Nouns
•Adjectives
•Adverbs
Dictionary Skills
•Parts of dictionary entries
•Finding the correct
dictionary meaning from the
context of the reading
Textbook Aides and
Specialized Vocabulary
•Recognizing textbook
vocabulary aids
•Organizing a system for
learning specialized
vocabulary