Explain the connotation of the word
Every word relates to a set of feelings, be it positive, negative, or neutral. Understanding how words are interpreted in the real world enables one to use them with great precision. As a teacher, I have compiled a word scale. I have placed a few words on one end of the scale and other words (antonyms) at the other end of the scale.
This helps them to understand the intensity and the opposite meaning of the word. My students then work according to the scale whenever they have to find synonyms of the words.
Explain how affixes change meanings
Most words change by adding affixes. Adding a prefix or a suffix before is considered a rich vocabulary technique. However, explaining it to your students could be quite challenging. To develop a rich vocabulary, you must teach the purpose and meaning of suffixes and prefixes.
Explain how affixes can change the entire meaning and therefore, they should always use a friendly root word. The possibilities of word-building creations are huge, especially if you are adding suffixes and prefixes.
Build a relationship of words with other words
This is the best way to teach students how two or more words have similar or opposite meanings. Take them through antonyms, synonyms, and idioms that build concepts and help them to enhance their lexical stores.
Whenever I give vocabulary classes to my children, I set a period for word study as well. I provide them with graphic tables and organizers to build connections between words and even make comparisons. Another technique, collocation has the same approach and helps to understand the context of each word.
Sound it out
Most words can be sounded out to figure out, and to more easily remember, the spelling of the word. Go slow, and sound out each syllable "pho-net-ic-ally". While there are certain sounds, such as "ph" and "f" that need to be memorized for certain words, going slow and sounding out words can be a huge help for someone struggling with their spelling. As you use this tactic, you will start to notice patterns and gain a greater understanding of words, and you will start to spell faster, and eventually not need to sound out at all.
