2. When to Teach Prefixes

You'll typically introduce prefixes to your students in late first grade or early second grade, once they can reliably read and spell base words. 

Below you'll find the Reading Universe Phonics Continuum. You'll notice that prefixes are listed at the very end, but you'll actually be teaching them throughout your phonics instruction. For example, after you teach closed syllables (when your students learn to read words like mix, pin, and jam), you may consider teaching the prefix 'un-', giving them access to unmix, unpin, and unjam.

There is not one way to introduce prefixes and suffixes, and many programs will teach these in a different order. That's okay as long as students learn the affixes (prefixes and suffixes) that they will see, or hear, in text. 

When you introduce prefixes, you open up more words that your students will be able to decode. So as you move through the phonics continuum, consider adding prefixes to your instruction each time your children have mastered a new skill. Here's a way you could do this:

Closed Syllables and Glued Sounds
When your students are automatic and accurate with both closed syllables and glued sounds, introduce the prefix 'un-', like in the words unzip, unlink, and uncap.

Consonant Blends, Digraphs, and Open Syllables
When they've mastered blends, digraphs, and open syllables, introduce the prefix 're-', like in the words reclip, rethink, and replant.

'-ck' Spelling Rule
After you teach the '-ck' spelling rule, introduce the prefix 'non-', like in the words nonstick, nonstop, and nonslip.

Magic 'e'
After teaching magic 'e', introduce the prefix 'dis-', like in the words dislike and displace. 

r-Controlled Vowels
Once you've taught r-controlled vowels, introduce the prefix 'pre-', like in the words pretest, precut, and prework.

Vowel Teams, Diphthongs, and '-tch' and '-dge' Spelling Rules
After teaching vowel teams, diphthongs, the '-tch' spelling rule, and the '-dge' spelling rule, introduce the prefix 'mis-', like in the words mismatch, misjudge, misplace, and misuse.

For students to successfully learn prefixes, they should already know:

• All consonant and vowel sounds
• How to read closed syllables
• The term base word

In this skill explainer we explain how to teach six of the most common prefixes, but your instruction does not end there! As your students progress as readers, they'll encounter more advanced prefixes, such as 'in-', 'em-', 'inter-', 'fore-', and many more. You can follow the same routine we have outlined to explicitly teach and practice adding these prefixes to base words, which will prepare your students to read them and understand their meanings.