Ch 30: Vocabulary Acquisition & Use
About This Chapter
Vocabulary Acquisition & Use - Chapter Summary
This chapter can help you understand the etymology of words, ways to determine the meaning of words and how to use vocabulary reference materials. Studying these lessons makes it easy to quickly and effectively improve your comprehension of vocabulary acquisition and use. Review our fun lessons at a comfortable pace. When finished, you will be ready to do the following:
- Describe research-based guidelines for teaching vocabulary
- Discuss teaching strategies for vocabulary words and reading comprehension
- Detail how to select words for vocabulary instruction
- Explain how context is used to determine the meaning of words
- Describe strategies for understanding words by their relationships
- Share how affixes and roots are used to find the meaning of words
- Define and describe the etymology of words
- Explain the use of reference materials for vocabulary
Don't let your busy schedule deter you from studying the lessons in this chapter. Accessible 24/7 using any computer or mobile device, this chapter's flexibility enables you to study whenever and wherever your schedule permits. Short quizzes are also available to test your knowledge of the lessons before, during and after reviewing them. To check your overall understanding of vocabulary acquisition and use, be sure to take our practice chapter exam.

1. Research-Based Guidelines for Teaching Vocabulary
Research has guided the development of teaching strategies for specific vocabulary skills. Learn the guidelines for building vocabulary through word play, the STAR model, independent problem solving, and individual & group reading.

2. Vocabulary Words & Reading Comprehension: Teaching Strategies
Building vocabulary or the vocabularies of students helps develop a better connection to reading comprehension. Learn more about useful teaching strategies, how context clues and wordplays can help, and the different strategies that can be used.

3. Selecting Words for Vocabulary Instruction
Vocabulary terms are selected intentionally to be appropriate for the specific context of learning. Learn how quality vocabulary words are chosen, and details of the three tiers of vocabulary words.

4. How to Use Context to Determine the Meaning of Words
There are a number of techniques used to determine the meaning of words by examining them in the context of a sentence. Learn how to look for definitions and examples within the sentence, pay attention to synonyms and antonyms, and substitute unknown words.

5. Understanding Words By Their Relationships
Words often contain multiple potential meanings that can be identified by their context and relationship to other words in a phrase. Learn the use of connotation, denotation, and synonyms, and how different types of analogies can illuminate the true meaning behind a given word.

6. Using Affixes and Roots to Find the Meaning of Words
Roots are known as the minimum unit of text expressing meaning, and affixes are an addition to a word that alters its meaning. Explore the use of both roots and affixes in deciphering the meaning of words.

7. The Etymology of Words
Etymology is the study of words, their origins, and the ways their meanings and connotations change over time. Learn how to define etymology, explore its function in literature and language, and review examples from Latin, English, and German.

8. Using Reference Materials for Vocabulary
Reference Materials are collections of lists of words that help describe and explain the world. Learn about how dictionaries, glossaries, and thesauruses can help improve vocabulary along with other reliable examples of reference material.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the College English Composition: Help and Review course
- Conventions in Writing - Grammar: Help and Review
- Conventions in Writing - Usage: Help and Review
- Writing Mechanics Help
- How to Revise an Essay: Help and Review
- Using Source Materials: Help and Review
- Types of Writing Sources & Citations
- Parts of an Essay: Help and Review
- Essay Writing: Help and Review
- Reading and Understanding Essays: Help and Review
- Composition Best Practices - Theory and Application: Help and Review
- The Writing Process: Revision and Skill Development
- Teaching Writing
- Technical Writing & Informational Texts
- Teaching Materials & Resources
- Prose Nonfiction
- Prose Fiction
- Nonfiction and Informational Text Skills Practice
- Teaching Literature
- Reading Basics
- Analyzing Reading
- Analyzing & Interpreting a Passage
- Analyzing Key Ideas of Nonfiction & Informational Text
- Teaching Reading
- Speaking Skills
- Reading for Key Ideas & Details
- Text Structure & Reading Skills
- Using & Evaluating Sources for Writing
- Reading & Thinking Critically
- Conventions of Written English
- Argument & Rhetorical Strategies
- Types of Essays