Word Detectives: Learning Latin Roots through Stories, Movements, and Pictures to Expand Vocabulary

Word Detectives makes Latin roots accessible to elementary students through stories, movements, and pictures. Many programs start with prefixes and suffixes. In contrast, Word Detectives begins with the "meatiest" part of the word. Prefixes and suffixes modify words, but the roots are the essence. These roots can form a foundation for vocabulary and spelling. Each root is introduced using a simple story. This story is then associated with a body movement that reminds students of the meaning of the root. Finally, the root is associated with a picture that reminds the student of the story, the movement, and the meaning. There are 4 roots per lesson. The lessons are designed to be short and simple. Intensive worksheets combined with a scripted instructor's guide teach students to identify familiar roots when they encounter them in words. First students study a list of words with a common root using fine discrimination to differentiate between similar words, and then students learn to infer the meaning of unfamiliar words using gross discrimination based on the clues provided by the roots, prefixes, and suffixes. This book is meant to be a tool. If introduced early (between third and fifth grade), Latin roots can be highlighted in spelling, reading, and vocabulary, but it is never too late. The story-movement-image combination impacts multiple learning styles and makes high level skills attainable for younger students. Let's become "word detectives." Let's start looking for clues!