'Prefixes' tutor notes

The aim of the 'Prefixes' topic area is to help learners correctly spell and recognise words containing prefixes, as well as to understand and learn common prefix meanings.
e.g. dis + cover = discover.

Other areas of the site which tie in with this module are the following:
Root words - words that can be built on to make other words.
Suffixes - a group of letters which can be added to the end of a root word.

How does this tie in with the curriculums?

• England
  Ww/L1.1 - 'Spell correctly words used most often in work, studies and daily life'.
  Rw/L1.3 - 'Understand that prefixes can provide clues to meaning'.
  
• Wales
  As England.
• Northern Ireland
  As England.
• Scotland
  See www.aloscotland.com for details of the Scottish curriculum.

In the Skillswise module you'll find:

Prefixes factsheets
There are 4 factsheets in this module. The first covers what a prefix is, the second looks at rules on adding prefixes to root words and the last two contain printable lists of common prefixes with definitions and examples for students to learn.

If you feel that any important prefixes have not been covered please let us know.

Prefixes quiz
A three level quiz for learners to test how well they know their prefixes. Level A is the easiest and level C the hardest. All 3 levels test spelling, understanding of prefix meanings and recognising correct combinations of prefixes with root words.

There is a system in place that allows students to print out a certificate if they score 50% or over in the quiz. This appears as a link on the results page - click on the link and the certificate will appear in a new window. A learner can write their name in once the certificate is printed.

Prefixes worksheets
There are 2 worksheets in this section. One looks at choosing the correct prefix from a variety of options to make a new word, while the second looks at recognising a root word when the prefix is removed.

If you have any great worksheets that practise working with prefixes, let us know . We are always interested in finding good worksheets to publish on the site.

Technical help:

If you are new to the web, why not try the BBC WebWise online course, Becoming WebWise? It's free, you can do it in your own time from any computer and it will take you through everything you need to know to use the web successfully in your teaching.
Get WebWise.

You can find out more about the technical requirements for Skillswise in our Help - Technical Information section.

Taking it further:

With Skillswise
Don't forget to visit Lesson plans and Teaching inspirations for more ideas for teaching prefixes.

With the web
Here are a couple of places on the web - where you might find useful resources that you can adapt for teaching prefixes.

• Frequently occurring prefixes
  A handy list of 25 frequently occurring prefixes complete with their definitions. Also includes an audio option so that you can hear what the prefix sounds like.

Please note that the BBC is not responsible for the content of other websites.

Do you know of any other great online resources for helping learners to learn and use prefixes? Let us know if you do.