Literature, Reading Processes, and Skills Flashcards
Prefix
A letter or letters at the beginning of a root word that changes its meaning
(re-, de-, un-)
Affix
A letter or letters that change a root word’s meaning
(prefixes or suffixes)
Frayer Model
a popular form of semantic mapping which helps students to identify and define unfamiliar concepts and vocabulary
(Students place the following information on a chart divided into four sections - the definition of a concept, its essential characteristics, examples and non-examples.)
Context Clues/Contextual Analysis
using the words before and after an unknown word to determine its meaning
(It was a beautiful day that made it idyllic for swimming.)
Structural/Morphemic Analysis
using meaningful word parts (morphemes) to study a word and determine its meaning
Morphology
The study of forms of words, including affixes, roots, stems, and parts of speech.
(The word “bicycles” is made up of three individual morphemes. The prefix bi-, the stem cycle, and the suffix -s.)
Suffix
A letter or letters at the end of a root word that changes its meaning
(-s, -es, -ed, -ing, -ly, -er, -or, -ion, -tion, -able, and -ible)
Denotative Meaning
a literal, dictionary meaning of a word
Connotation
the implied meaning of a word; the feeling a word conveys
(Describing a person as “shrewd” may make them feel negatively, even though the definition (sharp-witted, intelligent) is positive.)
Derivational Affix
an affix that changes the root or base word into a new word
(When the ___________, “ful” is added to the noun, beauty, the word “beautiful” forms, meaning full of beauty.)
Word Wall
An on-going bulletin board with common terms used frequently in the classroom. Vocabulary words are added as they are introduced
Bound Morpheme
type of morpheme that can appear only as part of a larger word
(Prefixes such as pre-, dis-, in-, un-, and suffixes such as -ful, -ment, -ly, -ise are __________________.)
Vocabulary/Vocabulary Development
the ability to effectively know and use words in their listening, speaking, reading, and writing
Morpheme
A combination of sounds that has meaning in speech or writing and cannot be divided into smaller grammatical parts. This includes prefixes and suffixes.
(write, cat, laugh, box)
Root
Base words to which prefixes, suffixes, and syllables can be added
Inflectional Affix
an affix that changes the form of the root or base word
(The inflectional affix, “ed” changes a verb to the past tense.)
Free Morpheme/Unbound Morpheme
type of morpheme that can stand alone or can appear with other morphemes in a lexeme
(Simple words (i.e. words made up of one free morpheme, such as the, run, on, etc.) and compound words (i.e. words made up of two free morphemes, such as keyboard, greenhouse, etc.) are free morphemes.)
Tense
words that indicate if a statement is referring to past time, present time, or future time
(Past- She spoke. Present- She speaks. Future- She will speak.)
Literary Response Skills
the skills a student uses to react to a piece of literature, such as retelling, summarizing, or analyzing
Main Idea
the central point of the passage
Plot
The events included in a story (may or may not be sequential).
Author’s Point of View
An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the author or narrator.
(In an argument against bullying, the author’s point of view was that ‘bullying was caused by previous social issues.’)
Character’s Point of View
An attitude or perspective toward the topic of what is being written or spoken by the character within the story.
Inference (when reading)
A conclusion or opinion based on information that is given, and that is sometimes called an educated guess.
(Sam’s parents inferred that he had gotten in trouble at school when they received a call from the principal.)
Literary Analysis
The careful examination of a text or one element of a text, including theme, plot, characters, or setting, in order to determine why and how the particular text was written.
Story Map
a graphic organizer in which elements from a story (characters, setting, problem, solution, etc.) are recorded to help with literary analysis
Literary Criticism
when another author considers literary works through various lenses
(Feminist)
Setting
The time and place that a story takes place in a novel.
Moral
Lesson or message to be learned. Common in fables or children’s stories.
Literary Theories
strategies a reader can use to evaluate a text for meaning
(Archetypal, Gender, Historical)
Characters
The persons, animals, or other figures who are in stories.
Theme
The big idea or major message in a story which is often universal in that it goes beyond cultural boundaries.
(Harry Potter books have several _________ including good vs. evil and making good choices.)
Textual Evidence
Proof or support of the meaning of what is being read or has been read. This evidence can be a direct quote, transition words in time and space, a statement of purpose, and/or making an argument.
(Students had to write down proof of their answer to the questions on the test over the story they just read.)
Tone
The attitude of the author in writing, and which might be comical, serious, frightening, joyful. Sometimes called diction.
Primary Purpose/Author’s Purpose
why the author wrote a text
(Charlie wrote an OpEd for the paper to convince people to stop littering.)
Draw Conclusion
To make final comments/summation over what has been read or written.
Figurative Language
A word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning
(hyperbole: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!)
Standard
explains what a student needs to learn at that particular grade level
(Common Core Standards)
Learning Objectives
the specific skill or knowledge that the student is expected to master in a lesson
(The students will be able to appropriately use a question mark.)
Fiction
Writing that describes imaginary events and/or people.
(Alice and Wonderland is an example of fictional writing.)
Cinquain
a poetic form on various topics that follows a strict five-line syllabic pattern
(“Snow” by Robert Frost)
Epic
a long, narrative poem featuring a hero on a journey while performing extraordinary acts
(The Iliad)
Mock Epic
a poem that pokes fun at heroes and literature that features them
(The Rape of the Lock by Alexander Pope)
Limerick
humorous five line poems with a consistent AABBA rhyme scheme
(Book of Nonsense by Edward Lear)
Sonnet
a fourteen line stanza with a specific rhyme scheme
(Shakespeare’s sonnets)
Free Verse
a poem that can be on various topics and lacks any pattern
(poems from Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman)
Acrostic
poems in which the first letter of each line of text spells a word
(“An Acrostic” by Edgar Allan Poe)
Nonfiction
Writing based on factual information and that may tell a story or give information such as how to do something.
(An example of a nonfiction (factual) book for children is The Evolution of Video Games.)
Petrarchan (Italian) Sonnet
14 line poem in which the last words in the first, fourth, fifth, and eighth lines rhyme
(“When I Consider How My Light is Spent” by Milton)
Imagist Movement
a reaction against Romanticism, encouraged reliance on visual imagery
(“In a Station of the Metro” by Ezra Pound)
Blank Verse
unrhymed poetic lines in an unstressed, stressed syllable pattern
Genre
Various forms of texts including short stories, essays, folktales, fairy tales, poetry, historical fiction, biographies and autobiographies, memoirs, comedies and tragedies.
(Night by Elie Wiesel is an example of a memoir.)
Sestina
a poem with six stanzas with six lines and a triplet at the very end
(“Altaforte” by Ezra Pound)
Shakespearean (English) Sonnet
three quatrains and a couplet
(the sonnet beginning “Shall I compare thee to a Summer’s day?”)
Volta
ninth line of a Petrarchan sonnet
(“That murmur, soon replies, God doth not need” from Milton’s “When I Consider How My Light is Spent”)
Haiku
short, three line poems usually written about nature
(“In the Twilight Rain” by Matsuo Basho)
Poetry
Creative writing written in verse and often including rhymes or heavy use of figurative language
Lyric Poem
a poem that conveys feelings or emotions through imagery and figurative language
(“Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” by Robert Frost)
Villanelle
19 line poem with five tercets and a quatrain in a fixed verse form
(“Villanelle” by Jean Passerat)
Imagery
heavily descriptive language
Choral Reading/Echo Reading
A strategy in which students first listens to the teacher read a short passage aloud, and then the class and the teacher all read it aloud at the same time
Theme
The big idea or major message in a story which is often universal in that it goes beyond cultural boundaries.
(Harry Potter books have several ________ including good vs. evil and making good choices.)
Tone
The attitude of the author in writing, and which might be comical, serious, frightening, joyful. Sometimes called diction.
Symbolism
When an item stands for an idea or larger meaning. Usually used throughout a piece of literature.
(dove = peace, red rose = love and romance)
Dialect
form of a language particular to a specific region or community
Hyperbole
To exaggerate or overstate something that is being described.
(Some of my clothes seem as old as the hills.)
Independent Reading
reading done by students independent of the teacher. This reading can be either assigned or student selected. Typically silent.
Antithesis
contrasting ideas to show a comparison
Figurative Language
A word or phrase that does not have its normal everyday, literal meaning
(hyperbole: I’m so hungry I could eat a horse!)
Stylistic Choice
deliberate decision an author makes to enhance the narrative with a deeper message
(allusion)
Aphorism
a short saying to convey a truth; often using an opposite to make the point
Readers’ Theater
A strategy in which a teacher directs students in a dramatic enactment of a play or book
Inference (when reading)
A conclusion or opinion based on information that is given, and that is sometimes called an educated guess.
(Sam’s parents ___________ that he had gotten in trouble at school when they received a call from the principal.)
Partner/Small Group Reading
A strategy in which students read semi-independently in pairs or small groups.
Teacher-Modeled Reading
A strategy in which a teacher reads aloud to students emphasizing his/her own fluency and prosody.
Parallelism
syntactical similarity in clauses; often involves repeating a phrase
(I went to the grocery store, to the mall, and to the gas station.)
Allegory
an extended metaphor with two meanings
(Animal Farm)
Allusion
a reference to someone or something outside of the text
(You’re being a Scrooge.)
Reading Fluency
The ability to read with appropriate speed, accuracy, and prosody
