INTEGRATING THE TEACHING OF GREEK COGNATES WITH SEVENTH GRADE SOCIAL STUDIES
ADVANCE ORGANIZERS
Ausubel developed the Advance Organizer model to enable teachers to present large amounts of information and have the the students learn it in a meaningful way which leads to long term retention. The strategy behind the model is to organize the presented material to match the way the students minds process the information. To use the advance organizer as a tool, there are three key elements. First, present the advanced organizer at the start of the lesson. Second, present a map, outline, or some graphic that allows the students to see the overall presentation up front. Then tie the new concepts to concepts the students already have (Joyce & Weil, 2000, pp 247-260).
LESSON PLAN: INTRODUCING GREEK COGNATES
During a 7th grade unit on Byzantium (Constantinople), I summarize the history of the city and discuss the advantages of its location in terms of trade and defense. When I discuss the Byzantine navy, I project an image of a manuscript that depicts a sea battle where the Greeks use their secret weapon, Greek Fire. From the Greek Text, I point out the phrase destroyed by fire.
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After I point out the Greek word fire (pur), I then proceed to my advance organizer to introduce some Greek-English cognates. From learning Greek cognates, students increase their understanding of English vocabulary.
The organizer is a matrix with four column headings: Greek Word, Transliteration, Cognate, and Other English Words.
Greek words and transliterations are filled in, but the kids fill in the cognates and other words.
Greek words in the organizer are written in Greek font and include concepts presented in the Byzantine unit (i.e., Hagia Sophia) or cognates of such words. By pointing out a few letters the kids know from math, such as pi ( p), the kids readily start decoding.
To review the advanced organizer, click here: pyro.
SITES FOR GREEK FONTS, WORDS, AND COGNATES
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/
http://www.wordexplorations.com/
http://www.hri.org/fonts/
LITERATURE RESEARCH
Dolinskaya (1993) discussed an approach to second language acquisition by beginner students through the use of cognates. Cognate lists enabled English speaking students taking Russian and Russian speakers taking English to rapidly acquire the alphabets and vocabularies of the target languages.
Spinelli & Siskin (1987) illustrated how advance organizers aided the decoding process in a second language. One of the devices used was cognate recognition.
References
Dolinskaya, Lubov. (1993). Plunging into a foreign language without a dictionary. Paper presented at the Annual Eastern Michigan University Conference on Languages and Communication for World Business and the Professions (12th, Ypsilanti, MI, March 31-April 3, 1993). Abstract acquired 3/22/03, Eric_NO: ED370396
Joyce, B., Weil, M., with Calhoun, E., (2000) Models of teaching. Nedham Heights, MA: A Pearson Education Company.
Spinelli, Emily; Siskin, H. J (1987) Activating the Reading Skill through Advanced Organizers. Canadian modern language review; v44 n1 p120-33. Abstract acquired 3/22/03, ERIC_NO: EJ373572.
