Use Word Parts—Ready Reference Guide

No matter what age, readers occasionally encounter new words that they must break apart in order to read and understand. Looking at parts of words helps readers to break the word’s meaning apart and gives them a strategy to understand new words. When looking at familiar word parts, readers are able to use their background knowledge of these word parts, along with their knowledge of the text, to understand the meaning of the word. Although each year children learn many new words in the classroom, there is no way they can be taught all of the words they will come across when reading. Learning the strategy of using word parts to determine the meaning of words, gives readers a tool to figure out words they come across when reading.