Académique Documents
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Andrea Edbauer
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
735 Adolescent Literacy: Programs and Practices
Dr. Joan Simmons
December 9, 2014
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Table of Contents
Bibliography Page 29
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Identification of an Issue or Interest
One area of English Language Arts (ELA) instruction in which I would like to improve is
classrooms, but I struggle with knowing how to teach it in an effective way. My district provides
Harcourt Storytown as a resource for teaching ELA. The vocabulary activities included in the
curriculum consist of worksheets in which students are completing activities such as matching
words with definitions, or writing down the meaning of words that are found in the story of the
week. I have used some of these activities in the past, but did not feel that my students were a)
I have also used the Literacy CAFE strategy (Boushey & Moser, 2009) for teaching
large- and small-group instruction. The strategies are posted on a “menu,” where students choose
and use them when appropriate. My concern with using only Literacy CAFE to teach vocabulary
is that my students may not be applying what they have learned when reading independently.
Perhaps some are, but I feel that most of them probably forget about the strategies once they
have been posted on the menu, until I refer to them in a later lesson.
Students in the Howard Suamico School District are required to take the NWEA MAP
test for reading every fall, winter, and spring. During the 2013-2014 school year, the strands on
the test included Literature, Informational Text, and Foundational Skills and Vocabulary. The
following table shows my students’ scores in all areas on the spring 2013-2014 MAP reading
test.
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Not proficient Proficient or Advanced
Literature 7 15
Informational Text 7 15
Vocabulary
According to this data, more than half of my class exited second grade with a vocabulary score
that was below grade level. This data helped me realized at the end of the 2013-2014 school year
that vocabulary instruction was an area where I needed to focus more attention.
The strands on the test changed slightly for the 2014-2015 school year. Instead of part of
the test focusing on Foundational Skills and Vocabulary, it now focuses on Vocabulary
Acquisition and Use. The following table shows my students’ scores in all areas of the fall
Literature 4 21
Informational Text 7 18
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Overall, I have a higher-performing class this year. (Most of my students scored above the spring
proficiency score on the fall test.) The table shows that Vocabulary Acquisition and Use is the
Based on the lack of quality instructional resources provided by my district, and student
MAP score data, I decided to focus my research on vocabulary instruction, so that I could
Review of Literature
critical component of text comprehension and learning in all subject areas.” Most vocabulary
instruction in schools today is isolated, and not connected to students’ lives. Rather, it is often
memorized for a short period of time, and then forgotten. It is essential that vocabulary
instruction be connected across subject areas, assignments, and to students’ lives. Prereading
vocabulary strategies remove barriers that students may face when reading. Postreading
One strategy for teaching vocabulary is the CSSR approach (Ruddell, 2008). This
strategy consists of four steps that are in a sequence of descending probability of success:
● Step 1 - Context: Students look at how the word is being used in the sentence or
● Step 2 - Structure: Students look at the structure of the word (prefixes, suffixes, etc.) to
determine meaning.
● Step 3 - Sound: Students listen to the pronunciation of the word to determine meaning.
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● Step 4 - Reference: Students use some sort of reference, such as a dictionary, to look up
Students should recognize that, although the surest method for determining meaning, using an
outside reference is most disruptive to their reading. They must understand that the goal of the
system is to spend the least amount of time possible determining meaning. The best way to teach
the CSSR approach is by telling students how to use it, demonstrating, and then giving them time
to practice.
Strategy (VSS) (Ruddell, 2008). The goal of VSS is for students to develop long-term retention
of important content-area vocabulary, and increased interest and curiosity in words. Students
work in groups of two to five. After reading a selected text, each team nominates one word for
the class vocabulary list. Each group must state the following:
● Where the word was found, and the context in which it was used.
Teams take turns sharing their word with the class. The definition of the word can and should be
discussed. Students may wish to change the definition, or add more. When a final word list has
been determined, students record the words, and practice them throughout the week.
Another way to build vocabulary is by teaching Latin and Greek roots. According to
Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011), studying Latin and Greek roots is important for the
following reasons:
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● Most of the more challenging multisyllabic words in English have origins in Latin and
Greek.
● Knowing a single Latin or Greek root or affix and help students understanding 20 or
● Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton also state that “Research in content area vocabulary
has demonstrated the effectiveness of teaching Greek and Latin word roots, especially for
struggling readers.” When students are engaged in structural word study, they can make
There has never been a scientifically-based study reporting which prefixes and suffixes
should be taught at which grade level, or a specific order in which they should be taught.
Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011) developed a list that is based on the identification of
which roots and affixes elementary and secondary students would find most useful. According to
Diamond and Honig (2007), the prefixes un-, re-, dis-, and in- are the four most common, and
account for 97% of prefixes words in printed school English. The suffixes -ed, -ly, -ing, -s, and
Study, Rasinki, Padak, Newton, & Newton (2011) suggest that elementary teachers focus on one
or two roots per week by teaching three to five ten-minute sessions. The article offers many
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One method is Divide and Conquer, which is intended for grades 1-5. The purpose of this
activity is for students to recognize the structure, sound, and meaning of a word. During the
lesson, students are given a list of words with the same prefix. Students identify the two basic
units of the word, and speculate about what it means. The word parts and definition are recorded
by students. Another instructional method is Word Spokes, which is intended for grades 1-5.
During this activity, students are creating an anchor chart for reference. A prefix is written in the
center of a circle, with spokes coming out in all directions. In each spoke, the teacher writes a
word and its definition (all generated by students). Students then illustrate the word. The chart
A third instructional method introduced in the article is Be the Bard, which is intended
for grades 3-5. This activity is based on the idea that William Shakespeare invented about 8% of
the words that he used. Students create their own words, based on their knowledge of affixes.
They must give a definition of their word, as well. When students are actively engaged in making
meaning of words, they are more likely to retain the meaning of the affixes.
important that all vocabulary instruction contain integration, repetition, meaningful use, and
Plan of Action
I decided to use a combination of lesson ideas from Teaching Content Reading and
Writing and The Latin-Greek Connection: Building Vocabulary Through Morphological Study in
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my second grade classroom. This unit addressed the following Common Core Language
Standards:
multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 2 reading and content, choosing
print and digital, to determine or clarify the meaning of words and phrases.
The following is an outline of the instructional methods that were used over a three-week period:
Week one: During the first week of implementation, I focused on the prefix re-.
● Monday: Divide and Conquer activity; Introduce Word Detective activity, which will be
Week two: During the second week of implementation, I used the CSSR strategy with a guided
reading group. I also used the VSS strategy with the entire class during a social studies lesson.
● Wednesday: Meet with the same guided reading group to review and practice CSSR
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● Thursday: VSS lesson during social studies.
● Friday: Complete VSS lesson during social studies, and meet with guided reading group
Week three: During the third week of implementation, I focused on the prefix un-.
● Thursday: Card game reviewing the use of the prefixes un- and re-
I introduced CSSR to my highest reading group only. This group consists of six students who are
reading at Guided Reading Levels R-U. Because these students are reading at a much higher
level than their peers, they are often faced with difficult vocabulary words when reading. They
can usually decode the words, and will continue reading, without stopping to realize that they
don’t actually understand the meaning of the word(s) that they have just read.
Implementation
Week One
Monday: I chose to begin with the Divide and Conquer activity. Prior to Monday, I prepared a
handout (see page 12) that contained 10 words with the prefix re-: replay, rewrite, recycle, redo,
review, reread, remake, replant, resell, and repaint. I prompted students to look for word parts,
and modeled how to divide the words in component parts (prefix and root). I then prompted
students to determine what the word means by looking at the two parts. We worked through the
first seven together, and then I allowed them to complete the last 3 independently. Next, I guided
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students in drawing a conclusion about the meaning of the prefix re-. I emphasized the
importance of the prefix in determining the meaning of the word, and that adding the prefix
I then introduced a Word Detective activity, which extended throughout the week. (This
activity was not mentioned in the article; rather, I came up with it on my own.) The purpose of
this activity was for students to realize that word study is not an isolated skill, and that knowing
the meaning of prefixes can help them determine the meaning of words they come across in
literature. For this activity, students were to write down words with the prefix re- in books that
they were reading. We discussed non-examples, such as really and ready. Students determined
that they would know if re- was being used as a prefix by covering up “re.” If the rest of the
word was a real word when standing alone, then “re” was most likely being used as a prefix.
Throughout the week, students were very excited to find words with the prefix re- in their stories.
Every day I would empty out the jar, and we would read through the words together. There were
quite a few non-examples, which was a good opportunity to have a discussion about whether or
not the word could go on our poster. Students were even finding words at home, and bringing the
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Name: ______________________________________________
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Tuesday: On Tuesday I did the Word Spokes activity with the class. Prior to the lesson, I
prepared a poster board that contained the prefix re- with sections, or spokes, around the word. I
began the lesson by reviewing the prefix re- and its meaning (“back” or “again”). Students then
generated words that contained the prefix re-, and I wrote one word in each section. They were
also responsible for telling me the definition of the word. I then allowed them to buddy read,
while looking for words with the prefix re- to add to our Word Detectives poster. While they
were reading, I called pairs up to illustrate the words on our word spokes poster. The poster was
Wednesday: The Be the Bard activity is intended for grades 3 to 5, but I decided to give it a try
with my 2nd graders, because it sounded like a lesson that they would really enjoy (and I was
right!). I began by reviewing the meaning of the prefix re-. I then modeled how to use the prefix
to created new words that weren’t actually real words. I showed them how to look the word up
on dictionary.com to see if it was a real word. They recorded their new words, and the
definitions. They really enjoyed this activity, and came up with some interesting words, such as
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“re-trick-or-treat.” Some of the words they wrote down were, in fact, real words. However, this I
wasn’t concerned about this, because they came up with the words on their own, and they wrote
Thursday: I wanted to do something fun on our last day of the unit, and we hadn’t done a crafty
project in quite a while (which they love). I decided to have students choose a real word
containing the prefix re-, and write the word parts on two different mitten cutouts. Then they
glued the mittens to a piece of construction paper, and wrote the word and definition below.
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Their artwork is proudly displayed in the hallway outside our classroom for other classes to read
Week Two
CSSR: On Monday I introduced the CSSR strategy to my most advanced guided reading group.
As mentioned earlier, these students can usually decode most words when reading
independently. However, they often continue reading, without stopping to realize that they don’t
actually understand the meaning of a word that they have just read. My first goal was to help
these students recognize when they read a word that they did not know the meaning of. I did this
part of the lesson the previous week. I had them read The Great Kapok Tree and write down
words on a sticky note that confused them. When they came to the guided reading table on
Monday they already had a handful of unknown words to use try out CSSR.
I began by introducing CSSR, and explaining why it was an important strategy. We had a
discussion about why it was important to not only be able to read the words, but to understand
what they mean. All of the students in the group agreed that knowing the meaning of words in a
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text will help them understand the text. Next, I described each step in the process, and explained
that it is important to start with step one. I had introduced dictionaries to the class a few weeks
prior to our vocabulary unit, and many of them were on a dictionary kick. They wanted to use the
dictionaries for everything! I discussed with the students that dictionaries will always help them
find the right definition, but it’s most disruptive to their reading.
Next, I asked students to find some of the words that they wrote down from The Great
Kapok Tree. Many of the students found the same words. We practiced going through the steps
of CSSR to determine the meaning of the words. Most of the time we were able to stop with step
one; looking at the context clue helped us determine the meaning right away. A few times we did
continue to steps 2 or 3 just to be sure our inference about the meaning was correct. We also
looked a few words up in the dictionary to verify that their inference of the definition was
correct.
I then assigned students a new picture book to read: Polar Bear Math: Learning About
Fractions from Klondike and Snow. They were to practice the CSSR strategy, and write down
any words that they used the strategy for. I provided each student with a reference sheet, which
was written in the form of a parent letter, so that families could support students at home (see
page 17).
I met with students on Wednesday and Friday of the second week, as well. During this
time, we reviewed the steps of CSSR, why it was important, and then practiced the strategy. By
Wednesday, all students could explain the steps of CSSR, without using their reference sheet.
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Dear Families,
Your child is working on a new vocabulary strategy called CSSR, which is a process for students
to follow when determining the meaning of a word. The steps of the process are in order
beginning with the highest probability of success. When your child is reading and comes across
a word that s/he does not know the meaning of, s/he should use the guide below:
Step 3: Sound
● If you do not know how to pronounce the word, ask an adult to pronounce it for you.
● Hearing the word can sometimes help you figure out what it means.
● If the meaning of the word is still unclear, move on to step 4.
Please keep this reference handy, and assist your child in using the CSSR strategy when reading
at home.
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VSS: I implemented the Vocabulary Self-Collection Strategy at the beginning of our social
studies unit on maps. The lesson consisted of two 30-minute class periods. I had two main
priorities in mind when searching for a text to use with this lesson:
1. I wanted the text to introduce students to the vocabulary that I thought was important for
them to know. I also did not want the definitions to be right on the page for students to
see, because part of VSS is that students are using context clues to determine meaning.
I displayed and read the eBook Map Parts: Discover the Fascinating World of Maps, by Katie
Torpie, on the Smartboard. Prior to reading the book, I told students that they would be picking
out the words that they thought were important. I wanted them to have a purpose for listening as
I read. I then distributed copies of the book to students. They worked in groups of three to
Once all students had chosen their words, we gathered at the carpet, and groups took
turns nominating their word, giving the definition, and explaining why it was important. I then
gave the rest of the class an opportunity to express their thoughts on the definition, prompting
them by asking: Would you like to change anything about the definition? Is there anything else
you want to add? Do you agree that this word is important to learn?
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Word: _______________________
Where did you find the word? (If possible, write down the sentence.)
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________
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Week Three
Monday: The first three days of week three were identical to the first three days of week one,
except that instead of studying the prefix re-, I introduced students to the prefix un-. On Monday
I introduced ten words that begin with un-: unreal, uneven, unfair, unload, unhook, unkind,
unsafe, unhappy, unlock, uncover (see page 21). Just as in week one, we worked through the first
few together, and then I let them complete the rest independently. I also shared that we would
continue the word detectives activity, but this time students were challenged to find words that
Tuesday: On Tuesday we completed the word spokes activity. Students generated the words and
definitions while I recorded them on the anchor chart. I had students illustrate the word meanings
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Name: ______________________________________________
Thursday: On Thursday I wanted to do an activity that would involve some review of both
prefixes that students had learned. There are many fun review games that can be purchased and
printed online, but I chose to have students create their own card game. By creating it
themselves, they are more likely to be excited about the game, and to play it outside of the
classroom.
To create their card games, I gave each student 12 index cards. On one index card they
wrote the prefix re-, and on another they wrote the prefix un-. On five of the index cards they
wrote root words that could be paired with re- to make a real word. On the remaining five they
wrote root words that could be paired with un- to make a real word. To play, one player took the
re- card, and the other took the un-. Players took turns turning over the root words. If the word
they turned over could be combined with their chosen prefix to make a real word, they would
keep the card. The player with the most cards at the end of the game was the winner.
Friday: On Friday students took an assessment on the prefixes re- and un- (see page 23). The
main goal of the unit on prefixes was for students to use their knowledge of known prefixes to
determine the meaning of a word. The first part of the assessment tested this skill. The second
part of the assessment required students to list words that contain a given prefix. This skill set is
above and beyond what is required of second-graders, but since it was practiced in the unit, I
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Name: ___________________________________________________________
1. recount: ____________________________________________________
2. replay: ______________________________________________________
3. reteach: ____________________________________________________
4. unhappy: ____________________________________________________
5. unclean: ____________________________________________________
6. unorganized: _________________________________________________
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________
1. _________________________________
2. _________________________________
3. _________________________________
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Observations
When completing the Divide and Conquer activity, students needed quite a bit of
direction in the beginning. They often tried to define a word by using it in a sentence. For
example, when I asked what uneven meant, one student said, “When something is uneven, like a
picture frame.” After I guided them through a few examples, they started to catch on, and were
able to complete the last few words successfully without my help. Most students were engaged
during the lesson, and enjoyed trying to infer the meaning of the words.
Students also seemed to enjoy the Word Spokes activity. They all wanted to add a word to
the poster, and were eager to suggest words that were not part of the Divide and Conquer activity
the day before. We verified all words were real by searching for them on dictionary.com.
Students also enjoyed illustrating the words. I will continue to do this activity whole-group,
The Be the Bard activity was a little more difficult for students. In week one I modeled
how to make up a word using the prefix re-, and then I let students try it out on their own. Some
groups struggled a bit with the activity. Some words that they wrote down were, in fact, real
words, and others just didn’t make sense. In week three I decided to do the first two with
students, so that they would hopefully have a better understanding of the directions. I think it
also helped that the activity was more familiar this time. Some students only created a few words
in week one, but in week three all pairs created at least 8 words.
When completing the mitten craft in week one, all students could successfully come up
with one word that used the prefix re-, split it apart, and write the definition. Some students
needed help with spelling. All students successfully completed the game-making activity in week
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three. Most students used the word spokes and/or word detectives charts as a reference when
Students really enjoyed completing the word detectives activity. Some students found
more words than others, and almost every student participated. Many students found words at
home, and were excited to bring the books in to show us where they found the word. One student
even found reheat on a Pizza Hut box. When reading books to the class, I project them on the
Smartboard, using a document camera. During read aloud lessons, students have been pointing
out words that begin with re- and un-. They are even noticing the use of the prefixes when
speaking. For example, when I used the word repeat, one student exclaimed, “You just said
REpeat!”
We have also had some great class discussions on whether or not the words that we find
are actually using re- or un- as a prefix. For example, one student found the word university. As a
class, we had a discussion about how to pronounce the word, and students noticed that the un
was not being pronounced with a short u sound. Some students knew what the word meant, and
pointed out that it doesn’t mean “not iversity.” I pointed out that uni is actually a prefix that
means three, and university is considered the third level of education. The word detectives
activity lead to some very interesting discussions about syntax and using context clues.
Students scored very well on the prefix assessment. As mentioned earlier, the goal of the
unit was for students to be able to determine the meaning of the word by looking at known
prefixes. The first part of the assessment tested that skill, and all students were able to define
every word successfully. The bottom portion of the assessment asked students to list words that
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included a given prefix. Twelve out of 23 students did this part successfully. Nine students wrote
Using the VSS lesson to begin our social studies unit on maps worked really well.
Students were excited to choose a word to nominate. Only two groups chose the same word, so
we ended up with seven words total. The most difficult part was when students were trying to
define the word. A few groups needed my help with this. Here are the words and definitions that
● Legend: A legend is a key that has symbols to help you find stuff on a map.
● Longitude: The imaginary lines that go up and down the earth. They help us see where
● Equator: An imaginary line that goes around the center of the earth. It is the warmest
place on earth.
● Compass rose: A compass rose is part of a map that is used to show the positions of
● Compass rose: It’s a part on the map that shows you the directions east, west, south, and
north.
● Projection maps: A projection map is an oval shaped map that has parts of Antarctica
cut out and also makes things look closer together or further apart than they really are.
Students in the advanced guided reading group had a strong understanding of the CSSR
strategy by the end of week two. This was evident by the fact that they were able to explain each
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step of the process. During our small group time, they were practicing the strategy with the
books that they were reading, and all students could successfully use the strategy.
Reflections
Now that students understand how to complete the activities used in this unit, I will
continue to use them again, and they should take less time to complete. I will also allow more
independent and partner work. For example, the next time I do the Divide and Conquer activity,
I will probably do the first two with students, and then allow them to work independently or with
a partner to complete the rest. I liked doing the Word Spokes activity as a whole group, and I
think I will continue to do it that way for now. It was a great opportunity for students to come up
with words that were different from the ones I provided on Monday. It also allowed me to clear
up any misconceptions.
I think the most difficult part of the prefix study is helping students identify when a word
is in fact a real word. They will hear a word like unresponsible and think “That’s a real word; it
means not responsible!” If they can justify what the word may mean, they think it is a real word.
Because of this, the Be the Bard activity was a bit challenging both weeks. However, I think
students will continue to improve as they participate in the activity more frequently. I am going
to keep the Word Detectives posters up, and continue to allow students to add words that contain
the prefixes re- and un-. I think this is a great way to keep them thinking about the use of
I will continue to use VSS when introducing new science and social studies units. In the
past, I have always chosen the vocabulary words for my students. Since they chose the words for
the mapping unit themselves, they are referring to them more often. As we are completing other
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social studies lessons, I hear students saying things like, “That’s my group’s word!” I predict that
VSS will be particularly helpful when we study human body systems later this year. That unit
involves many difficult vocabulary words, and students often struggle to understand the words.
The CSSR guided reading group picked up on the use of the strategy much more quickly
than I had anticipated. I will continue to model and encourage students to use the strategy
throughout the year. I would eventually like to introduce CSSR to the whole class. Since this
guided reading group is doing so well understanding CSSR, I would like to use them as guides or
teachers in some way. It would be neat to have them help the rest of the class learn about CSSR,
Summary Report
includes integration, repetition, and meaningful use. The lesson that were implemented
throughout this unit contained all of these elements. Word study became a part of our day. It was
not something we did at 2:45 Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Students were engaged in
finding, analyzing, and using rich vocabulary during reading, writing, speaking, and listening.
They were applying their new learning to all subject areas. This was the first time in seven years
that my students have been truly excited about words. This type of passion and engagement is
what has been missing in my classroom as far as vocabulary study is concerned. When teachers
will retain and apply vocabulary strategies across the curriculum, and in their everyday lives.
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Bibliography
Boushey, Gale and Moser, Joan. (2009). The CAFE book: Engaging all students in
Diamond, L., Honig, B. (2000). Teaching reading sourcebook: Sourcebook for kindergarten
Rasinski, T. V., Padak, N., Newton, J., & Newton, E. (2011). The latin-greek connection:
Building vocabulary through morphological study. The Reading Teacher, 65( 2), 133-141.
Ruddell, M. (2008). Teaching content reading and writing (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley &
Sons.
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