Videos
Lessons designed to help upper-elementary students improve their reading and writing skills. These videos focus on building confidence with decoding, spelling, and understanding complex words, using proven teaching methods to make learning both effective and accessible.
Unit 1: Syllables
Welcome to the Big Words Syllables video series! In these videos, we’ll explore key phonetic concepts like blends—consonant groups that make distinct sounds—and constant digraphs, pairs of consonants that form a single sound. These lessons are essential for improving reading, speaking, and spelling skills.
What is a Vowel?
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Explore the multifaceted concepts necessary for comprehending syllable formation and the essential role of vowel sounds in this process.
What is a Consonant?
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In this video, we’ll explore the basics of phonetics, focusing on the differences between consonants and vowels, how consonants are described, and how this affects syllable division and spelling.
What is a Blend?
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Watch this video to learn how blends—consonant groups that make distinct sounds together—help language learners, especially children, improve their reading and speaking skills.
What is a Diagraph?
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In this video we'll explore constant digraphs—pairs of consonants that combine to create a single sound—crucial for accurate pronunciation and spelling.
What is a Stress?
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In this video, we explore how stress affects syllabification. While often associated with emotions, stress plays a key role in pronunciation and language comprehension.
Unit 2: Syllable Types
In these videos, we dive into the essential concept of syllable types, which are key to understanding how words are formed and their meanings. You’ll explore the six syllable types in English, providing valuable tools for decoding and encoding words. These syllabification lessons help students master the basics of reading and spelling multisyllabic words, with activities designed to build a strong foundation in syllables and decoding strategies.
Teaching the Preliminary & Week 1 Lessons
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In these syllabification lessons, students learn the basics of reading and spelling multisyllabic words by understanding syllable types and decoding strategies. The lessons are organized into introductory and week one activities to build a strong foundation in syllables.
Big Words Syllable Types​
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Mastering syllable types is key to understanding how words are formed and their meanings. This lesson explores the six syllable types in English, offering essential tools for decoding and encoding words, helping both readers and spellers improve their skills
Unit 3: Prefixes
In these two videos, we explore the importance of prefixes in reading, writing, and spelling. Understanding prefixes helps students expand their vocabulary, improve comprehension, and decode complex words. Through ten lessons over two weeks, we focus on effective strategies for teaching prefixes, emphasizing syllabification and the relationship between prefixes and base words to strengthen literacy skills.
Big Words Prefixes​
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In this session, we delve into the concept of prefixes, their significance in literacy, and their impact on reading comprehension and vocabulary development.
Understanding prefixes is essential for reading and writing. By learning prefixes, students expand their vocabulary, improve comprehension, and enhance their writing, helping them decode complex words and express ideas more clearly.
Teaching the Weeks 2 & 3 Lessons​
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Teaching prefixes and suffixes is key to developing reading and spelling skills. This summary highlights strategies for teaching prefixes over ten lessons in two weeks, focusing on syllabification and the connection between prefixes and base words.
Unit 4: Suffixes
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LESSON FOR UNIT 4
Suffixes are small but mighty tools in the English language. They hold the power to transform the meanings and grammatical roles of words, opening up new ways to express ideas. By understanding these linguistic building blocks, you'll unlock skills that can boost your reading comprehension and elevate your writing abilities.
Ready to explore the world of suffixes and enhance your language journey? Let’s dive in!
Big Words Suffixes​
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Suffixes play a crucial role in the English language by modifying the meanings and grammatical roles of words. Understanding these linguistic components can significantly enhance reading and writing skills, allowing learners to comprehend and produce language more effectively.
Unit 5: Putting it All Together
In these lessons, we’ll explore how students can confidently tackle longer, multi-syllable words. By combining prefixes, suffixes, and base words, students will develop a systematic approach to break down complex vocabulary. In Week 6, we’ll focus on strategies to help students decode words and understand their meanings more easily.
Strategy Explanation​
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In learning to read longer multi-syllable words with varied meanings, students employ a systematic approach that gradually builds their understanding and confidence. This summary outlines the key methods and strategies used to empower students in decoding complex vocabulary.
Teaching the Week 6 Lessons​
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In Week 6, students will engage in a series of structured lessons focusing on combinations of prefixes, suffixes, and base words. The core objective is to empower students to apply an integrated strategy for understanding and manipulating words to discern their meanings.
Unit 6: Root Words
Root words and base words can be tricky to tell apart, but understanding them is key to building a strong vocabulary. In this lesson, we’ll break down their definitions, explore examples, and highlight how Greek and Latin roots play a big role in understanding complex words. Let’s dive in and make language learning simpler and more effective!
Big Words Roots​
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The distinction between root words and base words can often cause confusion. This summary aims to clarify these concepts by examining their definitions, examples, and relevancy in language, particularly in specialized fields. Understanding this terminology enriches vocabulary and enhances comprehension in both casual and academic discourse.
Teaching the Week 7 Lessons​
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In the ongoing exploration of Greek and Latin roots, this lesson summary emphasizes the importance of roots in vocabulary development for students. The process encourages learners to break down complex words into their base components, fostering a deeper understanding of their meanings and applications.