Vocabulary Development and Critical Reading Skills

Vowels

Letters representing speech sounds in words.

Doubling Vowels

Using two vowels together in a word.

Hyphen

Punctuation connecting words or parts of words.

Context Clues

Hints to define difficult or unusual words.

Denotation

Literal meaning of a word.

Connotation

Implied meaning beyond the literal definition.

Prefixes

Affixes added before a root word.

Root Word

Base part of a word, carries meaning.

Suffixes

Added at the end of a word.

Jargon

Specialized language of a particular group.

Inference

Drawing conclusions based on evidence.

Definition Clue

Explicitly stating the meaning of a word.

Example Clue

Providing examples to clarify a word's meaning.

Antonym Clue

Using opposite words to define a term.

Synonym Clue

Using similar words to explain a term.

Annotating

Highlighting keywords and taking notes.

Analyzing

Breaking down text for deeper understanding.

Summarizing

Recreating meaning in your own words.

SQ3R

Study method: Survey, Question, Read, Recite, Review.

RAFT

Writing strategy: Role, Audience, Format, Topic.

5 W's Summary

Answers Who, What, When, Where, Why.

Alphanumeric Outline

Outline using letters and numbers for organization.