Getting a Fix on Vocabulary
The System of Affixation in English, using words in the News
by: Raymond C. Clark and Janie L. Duncan
Levels: Intermediate to Advanced. Secondary to Adult
ISBN:0-86647-038-7
The objective of Getting a Fix on Vocabulary is to expose students to
the prefixes and suffixes, the affixes, and many of the more common
bases used in English. These are explained in a simple and methodical
way; each lesson presents a group of up to eight affixes with similar
meanings. Common bases are introduced throughout the lessons and then
summarized in a glossary for easy reference.
Awareness of the system of compounding and affixation and how it works
and familiarity rather than mastery of this information are the students'
goals. First they are given a brief explanation of the affixes, and then they
do four or five exercises of increasing difficulty, checking their own answers.
Why use words in the News? The last of the exercises in each lesson
is a brief, fictitious, but realistic newspaper article. These short readings are
used for two reasons. The topics chosen allow the authors to introduce in
context a vocabulary rich in compounds and affixation and useful to
students who want to read news from around the world. These topics vary
from energy issues to politics, from crime to the international development
of peace. The second reason for using made-up "news"articles is because
they are generally fun to read and students enjoy them. And when
students are enjoying what they are doing, they are more apt to learn.
Getting a Fix on Vocabulary
The System of Affixation in English, using words in the News
by: Raymond C. Clark and Janie L. Duncan
Levels: Intermediate to Advanced. Secondary to Adult
ISBN:0-86647-038-7
The objective of Getting a Fix on Vocabulary is to expose students to
the prefixes and suffixes, the affixes, and many of the more common
bases used in English. These are explained in a simple and methodical
way; each lesson presents a group of up to eight affixes with similar
meanings. Common bases are introduced throughout the lessons and then
summarized in a glossary for easy reference.
Awareness of the system of compounding and affixation and how it works
and familiarity rather than mastery of this information are the students'
goals. First they are given a brief explanation of the affixes, and then they
do four or five exercises of increasing difficulty, checking their own answers.
Why use words in the News? The last of the exercises in each lesson
is a brief, fictitious, but realistic newspaper article. These short readings are
used for two reasons. The topics chosen allow the authors to introduce in
context a vocabulary rich in compounds and affixation and useful to
students who want to read news from around the world. These topics vary
from energy issues to politics, from crime to the international development
of peace. The second reason for using made-up "news"articles is because
they are generally fun to read and students enjoy them. And when
students are enjoying what they are doing, they are more apt to learn.