Copy of Copy of Copy of Context Clues

I am sure you have seen this level of frustration at some time or the other.

Even we, as adults, skip over words when we encounter a difficult passage, an unfamiliar word, or a text about which we have very little prior knowledge.

Kinds of Clues

Strategy #2

An "antonym means the opposite of another word" (Merriam-Webster, 2012). They are often signaled by words and phrases such as however, but, yet, on the other hand, and in contrast.

Example:

The lion kindred, not unrelated, to the jaguar.

Kindred means:

Related

Looking for the

Practice Mode

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Kinds of Clues

Strategy # 4

Kinds of Clues

Strategy #3

Further Information about the new word's meaning. Information in a sentence before or after the key word and using prior knowledge and personal experience combined helps make meaning of an unfamiliar word understandable (Reardon, 2011, p. 5).

Definition

Another Example:

The farmer was renowned, or known by many, as a storyteller.

Renowned means:

Known by many

"A definition type of context clues will state the definition of the unknown word" (Reardon, 2011, p. 4).

Examples:

The natives told them to be careful of the cassowary. The

cassowary is an Austra-

lian bird with powerful

legs and sharp claws.

Cassowary means:

Australian bird

Further Information

**

Another Example:

Example:

Their depictions are wonderful. They include paintings of landscapes and people.

Depiction means:

Picture or illustrations

Objective

What does it mean to use Context Clues?

To be able to use context clues to figure out what unfamiliar words mean while reading.

Husbandry is a very important industry. It produces the plants and animals that we use for food.

Husbandry means:

the producing of animals and plants for food

"Context clues are hints about the meaning of an unknown word that are provided in the words, phrases, and sentences that surround the word" (Armbruster, 2010 p. 35). Learning words can be hard. If you're not sure what a word means, it helps if you can at least know the information around the word. There are ways of figuring out what a new or unknown word means. One way is to use context clues.

Context Clues:

What kind of clue is used?

1. Fresh garlic may not enhance the breath, but it certainly does improve spaghetti sauce

Enhance means:

a. improve b. certainly c. breath

Context Clues

What kind of clue is used?

1. Many people have pointed out the harmful effects that a working mother may have on the family, yet there are many salutary effects as well.

Salutary means:

a. well-known b. beneficial c. hurtful

Context Clues

What kind of clue is used?

2. As soon as I made a flippant remark to my

boss, I regretted sounding so disrespectful.

Flippant means:

a. regretted b. sounding c. disrespectful

Context Clues

What kind of clue is used?

2. Trying to control everything your teens do can impede their growth. To advance their development, allow them to make some decisions on their own.

Impede means:

a. block b. predict c. improve

Context Clues

What kind of clue is used?

3. During their training, police officers must respond to simulated emergencies in preparation for dealing with real ones.

Simulated means:

a. made-up b. mild c. actual

Context Clues

CONTEXT CLUES

Context Clues

What kind of clue is used?

4. The lizard was so lethargic that it wasn't sure if it was alive or dead. It didn't even blink.

Lethargic means:

a. green b. inactive c. big

The strategies that you can use or teach your students to help them figure out the meaning of unknown words are:

Let's learn about them!

Antonym

Another Example:

His stories were engrossing, not at all boring.

Engrossing means:

Interesting

Kinds of Clues

Strategy #1

Synonym

Another Example:

Most textiles, or cloths, were originally woven on a loom.

Textile means:

Cloths

Synonym

A "synonym is a word that means the same or almost the

same" as the unknown word (Merriam-Webster, 2012). A synonym may appear anywhere in a passage.

Example:

The chameleon uses its tongue to ensnare, or trap, insects.

Ensnare Means:

Trap

 Research and Theoretical Underpinnings

According to Lien (2011), context clues is a reading strategy that strengthens learners’ confidence and provide them with a more holistic picture of each reading text. Although dictionary use or translation might help learners immediately solve reading problems, learners might rely on these strategies too much to benefit from or enjoy reading. (p. 199)

Research by Harvey and Goudvis (2007) supports that one of the quickest and most effective ways of dealing with unfamiliar vocabulary is through inferential thinking. To figure out the meaning of unfamiliar words readers need to take what they know and gather clues in the text to crack the meaning of vocabulary. (p. 139)

Research has also shown that using context clues activities even with students that have English as a second language is beneficial. According to Montelongo, Hernández, Herter, & Cuello, (2011), through this strategy students develop confidence in their abilities to make informed guesses at the meaning of the unfamiliar words to gain an initial understanding of the unknown word. This literature also suggests that using context clues is the preferred strategy for making meaning of unknown words in text and is an essential contributor to vocabulary growth and comprehension. ( p. 429)

Thank you for your kind attention and participation!!

Remember:

Don't skip words use context clues!!

Questions Questions Questions...

References

Professional Development Workshop

Inferring the meaning of unfamiliar words

“Using Context Clues to crack open Vocabulary”

Edu 611: Reading, Literacy and Thinking Skills

Lecturer: Dr. Strange-Martin

By: Melinda Green

April 12, 2014

Personal Rationale

• As a teacher I take reading comprehension very seriously. I know from personal experiences that one cannot understand a reading selection, be it a passage, an article or a story if you do not understand or know the meaning of all of the words in the reading selection.

• Being able to decode or call words is good, but in addition to word recognition skills that students need to develop to become good readers, comprehension of what has been read is salient for the learner. What good it is to be able to recognize words in print only? It does become highly insignificant when comprehension of content is a resulting factor.

Antonym. 2012. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieve April 14, 2014, from http://.merriam-webster.com/

dictionary/antonym

Armbruster, B. B. (2010). Put reading first: The research building blocks for teaching children to read:

Kindergarten through grade 3. DIANE Publishing. www.books.google.com

Harvey, S. , & Goudvis, A. (2007). Strategies that work: Teaching comprehension for understanding

and engagement (2nd ed.). Stenhouse Pembroke Publishers Ltd. Portland, Maine.

Lien, H. Y. (2011). EFL Learnersʼ Reading Strategy Use in Relation to Reading Anxiety. www.camtesol.org

Montelongo, J. A., Hernandez, A. C., Herter, R. J., & Cuello, J. (2011). Using Cognates to scaffold context

clue strategies for Latino ELs. Reading Teacher, 64(6), 429-434. doi: 10.1598/RT.64.6.4

Rajabi, P., Rezaei, N., & Afshari, H. (2013). The Impact of Explicit vs Implicit Compensation Strategy Training

on Iranian EFL Students’ Reading Comprehension Performance. www.irjabs.com

Reardon, K. T. (2011). To What Degree Will Learning To Use Context Clues Impact Students’ Reading

Comprehension Scores? (Doctoral dissertation, University of Wisconsin). www.minds.wisconsin.edu

Synonym. 2012. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieve April 14, 2014, from http://.merriam-webster.com/

dictionary/synonym

Hands-on-Activities

Inferring the Meaning of Unfamiliar Words:

Using Context Clues to crack open vocabulary

During reading, you often come across unfamiliar words. Knowing how to determine the meaning of an unknown word, will help you to understand your reading selection. The context, or words that surround an unknown word are the context clues that gives you clues to the word's meaning. Teachers should pay attention to reading strategies, which are important and essential for their students, and train them to use these strategies more often. There are many different kinds of contexts clues strategies that can be used to help determine the meaning of unfamiliar words.

Put students in groups of two. Each group will be given a chart to demonstrate their understanding of the strategies by completing the chart base on the short stories or sentences they are given. Then read their reading piece to the class and answers.

Rationale cont'd

• Being a primary school teacher I have witness the frustration on children's faces when they meet an unfamiliar word as they read. Putting down their book to grab a dictionary takes time, so they 'kiss their teeth' in a disgust manner and either put down the book, continue reading with no understanding of the reading selection or if it is for a Reading Comprehension assignment they create answers that are not relevant to their questions. Have You Ever Seen This Happen ? Well take a look.