Ideally, one's talk segues into ways the precision of crafted phrases or stylized sentences amplifies messages, sharpens concerns, or frames praise. People pursue how words and their selective combinations illuminate and illustrate, persuade and perplex. For many, this intricate puzzle with language is a frolic, simple wordplay. In this article,…

From showing readers the longest words in common usage (22 letters--counterrevolutionaries, deinstitutionalization), to providing readers with a list of words in which all 5 vowels must appear in alphabetical order (abstemious, facetious), to discovering the name in an American phone book where the most letters of the alphabet are used without…

Intended for students' use in several different ways to help with spelling and writing, this booklet has seven sections: (1) How to Use This Book to Help with Spelling and Writing; (2) Alphabetical Section (a 22-page section that lists the words students are most likely to use in their writing); (3) Place Names and Special Names; (4) Essential…

This book is intended to help teachers in the upper grades lead their students toward an understanding of the history of the English language. It demonstrates the value of studying language history and provides material and suggestions which can be used to complement a language arts program. The book stresses making students aware of the…

The utility value of the final vowel-consonant-e phonic generalization was examined using 2,715 common English words. When the vowel was defined as a single-vowel, the consonant as a single-consonant, and the final e as a single-e the generalization was found to be highly useful, contrary to other recent findings. Using the total sample of 2,715…

Suggests lessons based on categorizing and several learning modalities to expand students' vocabulary. (MKM)

In three experiments on auditory free recall of words, involving 10 learning disabled (LD) and 10 nondisabled (ND) elementary students, the ND recalled more low and high cognitive effort words than LD students. Supports the hypothesis that ND and LD readers differ in processing capacity; however, cognitive effort improves results. (Authors)

Reports a study of the conditions under which a monosyllabic word contained in a larger word can be used as an aid in pronunciation and identification of the word. (TO)

Suggests several ways to encourage students' awareness and use in writing of the variant meanings of words. (TO)

Offers exercises to assist poor readers as well as good readers in using the dictionary. (DD)

Some games for developing children's reading skills are described. (JD)

Points out what children's stories reveal about the significance of the individual word. (DD)

Describes a word analysis procedure for college developmental readers in which an unfamiliar word is written on the board, suffixes and prefixes marked off, and familiar related words offered as clues. Notes that students must use a similar procedure throughout the term in identifying how they analyzed unknown words. (RS)

Provides questions that help students focus on the significant differences between words when studying synonyms. (MM)