Crossword puzzles Essay Example
Crossword puzzles Essay Example

Crossword puzzles Essay Example

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  • Pages: 3 (766 words)
  • Published: January 6, 2018
  • Type: Essay
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My students were proficient in English speaking, but struggled with reading, responding to articles, and writing essays. Research led me to a case study by Rite Ray, who found that frequent usage of new vocabulary hindered understanding of reading and testing. Contextual clues, dictionaries, and translators were time-consuming options. Rite recommended assigning daily hour-long periods for direct vocabulary study using various strategies like flash cards, word games, and root word study. Prefixes and suffixes were the main focus with games as backup. During one tutoring session, I assisted a student with writing an essay about child discipline.

Although she had already conveyed her main points to me, there remained one final and paramount point that she struggled to express in English. Eventually, we discovered that she believed mutual respect between a pare

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nt and child was vital for effective discipline. The word "respect" had posed a linguistic challenge for her, but by exploring its Latin origin, we uncovered that the "re" prefix referred to looking back with consideration or regard and that "spec" often meant to see or look. This newfound understanding of language roots greatly aided her English studies. Additionally, Marc Roberts, author of "Seven Things You Can Do to Help Your Students Learn More Words," offered helpful strategies for vocabulary acquisition, including frequent use of a dictionary and attention to suffixes and prefixes.According to Golden's research, when teaching vocabulary to SSL learners, it is important to consider the level of the students in the class. Not all SSL learners are the same and therefore may learn differently and at their own rates. Golden identifies five levels of learning and suggests that for

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low-beginning students, vocabulary should be limited to basics such as emotions, body parts, food, and clothing. High-beginning students should expand their vocabulary to everyday items and relationships among them. For low-intermediate students, focus on abstract and specialized words and word forms is recommended while high-intermediate students should focus on expanding their vernacular in a variety of different subjects and topics for exposure and practice. Additionally, it is suggested that SSL students keep a vocabulary log, label unfamiliar things within the classroom, and purchase a word building book with crossword puzzles and games to aid in their learning.In order to fully comprehend a language, advanced students must focus on the subtle nuances of meaning and tone within the context they encounter. This includes being able to recognize sarcasm, irony, or logical fallacies. Some students may have difficulty articulating what they know in their head due to language barriers, leading to embarrassment or self-consciousness. For example, during a tutoring session, a student was unaware of the definition of "abortion" despite being otherwise intelligent. However, it's important to reassure students that this is normal and encourage continued practice. Even as a native English speaker, forgetting or feeling self-conscious about certain words or phrases is common due to the vast number of meanings they may have depending on context.Rite conducted a case study where she held hour-long daily sessions with students for six weeks and observed that their ability to memorize and utilize new vocabulary words greatly improved. Some students even thanked her for the specialized instruction as they needed it more than composition or grammar class. Rite credits this improvement to the study of prefixes and suffixes, which

she has always advocated for. As a language enthusiast, she finds the various parts of words fascinating and can accurately identify unfamiliar vocabulary words by recognizing one of the roots. Rite believes SSL students can also benefit from this approach with practice and dedication. Additionally, SSL teacher Kari Miller recommends direct teaching of no more than ten to twelve new words at a time.It is important for learners to encounter new words in multiple contexts, around five to sixteen times, in order to fully grasp and retain their meaning. Repetition is crucial as new words are commonly forgotten within the first twenty-four hours of learning them. It is also essential for students to be presented with words in a variety of ways as to understand their usage within different contexts in the English language. In my own experience as a tutor, and through research conducted by professionals, vocabulary tends to be a common challenge for SSL students. However, with consistent practice and implementation of various strategies, this obstacle can be overcome. It has been observed that understanding the roots of English words is always advantageous at any level of learning. In order to achieve optimal results, both teachers and students should utilize a range of resources such as dictionaries and crossword puzzles.

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