Creating Independent Word Learners

Classroom Examples of Creating Independent Word Learners

Baker, et al, suggest that independent word-learning strategies are procedures that teachers can model and teach explicitly to students to show them how to go about determining the meanings of unknown words.

[Baker, S., Simmons, D.C. & Kame’enuie, E.J. (1998) What Reading Research Tells Us About Children With Diverse Learning Needs: Basis and Basics. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum]

Using Context Clues
In English as 2nd Language. About.com, Kenneth Beare claims that using contextual clues improves students' reading skills. Because students often insist on working through individual word meanings when reading, teachers can help them learn instead to comprehend a text generally using contextual clues, and use those clues to expand their vocabulary.
[Kenneth Beare:]
http://esl.about.com/library/lessons/blreadcontext.htm

Using Prefixes, Suffixes, and Roots
Independent word learners must have a rich background of affixes to help them determine the meaning of unknown words. It is essential that teachers incorporate direct instruction of Greek and Latin roots and common prefixes to help students when they encounter a word they do not know, especially when the context does not supply sufficient support.
[Teacher Vision: Building Vocabulary Using Word Roots and Prefix Meanings]
http://www.teachervision.fen.com/lesson-plan/teaching-methods/48608.html

Word Attack Strategies
Whether they realize it or not, students commonly use analytical skills when reading. Asking students to analyze the thought processes and skills they use to read and understand words they don’t know will allow them to recognize what proficient readers do. These skills are often called word attack strategies.
[International Reading Association and the National Council of Teachers of English Web site]
http://www.readwritethink.org/lessons/lesson_view.asp?id=212