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Context Clues

Types of Context Clues

Definition
Explanation
Synonym
Experience
Antonym
Knowledge of Subject
Examples

Learning new words when reading

The first way to figure out the meaning of a word is from its
context. The context is the other words and sentences that are
around the new word. When you figure out the meaning of a word
from context, you are making a guess about what the word
means. To do this, you use the hints and clues of the other words
and sentences. You won't always be right, but many times you will
be. You might not be able to guess the exact meaning of a word,
but you may be close enough to get the meaning of the sentence
it is in. A basic strategy for unlocking the meaning of an unfamiliar
word is to search the context of the sentence in which a new word
appears for clues. Sometimes this can be easy to do because the
author may have provided a definition or a synonym right there
next to or near a term that you can use to unlock its meaning.
A definition is a statement giving the meaning of a word.
A synonym is a word that means almost the same as another.
For example, read the following sentence: "Don't think of words as
separate, discrete items, or entities." What is the meaning of the
word entities? The definition is right there - separate, discrete
items. But what is the meaning of discrete? The meaning of that
word is right there too--separate.
When in doubt about the meaning of an unfamiliar word, look
around in the sentence; check to see if there is a definition or
synonym clue to help you unlock meaning.
Another kind of context clue (in addition to definitions and
synonyms embedded in sentences) is a word or words of opposite
meaning (antonym) set somewhere near a word that is unfamiliar.
If you find a word or words of opposite meaning and you recognize
it or them, you are "home free." You can unlock the meaning of
the unfamiliar word.
For example, read the following sentence: "I was not exactly
enamored of the travel plans my agent made for me; my lack of
enthusiasm was triggered by the eight-hour layover required
between flights." What is the meaning of the word enamored? You
can use the context of the sentence to reason in this
way: Enamored of means just the opposite of lacking in
enthusiasm for.

Strategy

Step 1: Check for synonyms or definitions embedded right there.


If you find a synonym or definition, reread the sentence with the
new term keeping that synonym or definition in mind.
Step 2: Check for an antonym clue. If you find one, think about
its meaning, actually telling yourself the opposite meaning. Then
reread the sentence and rephrase it in your own mind.

Context Clues: Substitution


At times, rereading a sentence that contains an unfamiliar term
and substituting a word or phrase for it that makes sense can help
you to unlock the meaning of the unfamiliar word. To understand
the substitution strategy, read the following sentence:
"When we stayed at the military base, each Saturday we
went to the commissary to buy the food and supplies we
would need for the next week."
Although you may never have visited a commissary, given the use
of the word in this sentence, you immediately can substitute the
word store for the word commissary. You probably can wrestle an
even more complete meaning for commissary from the overall
context of the sentence: a store for food and supplies that is
located on a military base.

Steps in the substitution strategy are as follows:

Step 1: When you read a sentence that you have trouble


understanding because of an unfamiliar word in it, reread the
sentence and substitute a word that seems to make sense in the
context.
Step 2: Read on. If the word you substituted does not make
sense in the context of the rest of the paragraph, try again.
Step 3: If the sentence still does not make sense to you and you
do not understand the main point the author is making in the
paragraph, look for synonym, definition, and antonym clues. If you
are still uncertain, check a dictionary.

Context Clues: Multiple Meanings

As you have learned, a basic strategy for unlocking the meaning of


an unfamiliar word is to search the context of the sentence in
which a new word appears for clues. This is especially important
when a word has multiple meanings that you already know and
you must decide the particular one that applies. Try using the
following strategy:
Step 1: Check the context for clues: definitions and synonyms
given "right there" as well as words of opposite meaning -
antonyms.
Step 2: Substitute each meaning you know in the context of the
sentence until you find one that makes good sense there.
(Hennings, p. 48)

A more recent trend in vocabulary instruction is teaching students to use context to


determine the meaning of unknown words. Nagy, Anderson, and Herman (1987)
identified six types of context clues:

Definition

Example/illustration

Contrast

Logic

Root words and affixes

Grammar

Using context clues to figure out unknown words is a well-known vocabulary strategy.

Graves and Graves (1994) make a distinction between teaching vocabulary and

teaching concepts. Teaching vocabulary is teaching new labels for familiar concepts. It's

easy to teach new words related to a known concept.

Context alone cannot substitute for direct vocabulary instruction. Some words

will need to be taught before readers can comprehend a text. Nagy et al. (1987) found

that students who read grade-level texts under natural conditions have about one in

twenty chance of learning meaning from context. Baumann and Kameenui (1991)
agree that learning words through context clues is limited at best. They offer several

cautions about word learning through context:

Context clues are relatively ineffective means for inferring the meaning of

specific words.

Students are more apt to learn specific new vocabulary when definitional

information is combined with contextual clues than when contextual analysis is

used in isolation.

Research on teaching contextual analysis as a transferable and generalizable

strategy for word learning is promising, but limited.

Sometimes readers can figure out word meanings from the context or from their prior

knowledge of the concept. Below are some strategies students can use to figure out the

meaning of a word by using context clues.

Read the sentence without the word. Can you figure out what word you

know that would make sense in place of the unknown word?

Look at the word in relation to the sentence and full paragraph. Can you

figure out a meaning?

Look at the page where the word is located to see if there is an illustration

or diagram that helps with the meaning of the word.

Ask a classmate if he/she knows the meaning of the word.

Look the word up in a dictionary and see if any of the meanings fit the

sentence.

As a last resort, ask your teacher or other adult.

However, there will be times when there are few or no context clues in a passage or the

students lack the background knowledge to make using context clues a useful strategy.

Traditionally, vocabulary instruction has been based upon grade level word lists. One

problem with word lists (Nagy, 1988) is that they treat all words as having equal
importance in a text. Brozo and Simpson (2003) suggest a four-step process for

identifying vocabulary words to be taught during a unit of study:

Determine what you want your students to learn from the reading of the

content; in other words, the theme of the unit of study.

Identify key terms that are related to the unit's theme.

Decide on appropriate strategies to introduce and reinforce the words (e.g., a

graphic organizer).

Identify the general words that are not necessarily central to the theme of

the unit, but that lend themselves to various word-learning strategies that

promote independence (e.g., modeling words in context).


Every teacher encounters more words than s/he has time to teach. Here is another way to
help you decide which words to teach (Graves & Graves, 1994):

"Is understanding the word important to understanding the selection in

which it appears?"

If No, then you select other words that are more important.

"Are students able to use context or structural analysis skills to

discover the word's meaning?"

If Yes, allow them to practice them.

"Can working with this word be useful in furthering students' context,

structural analysis, or dictionary skills?"

If Yes, then focus on that.

"How useful is this word outside of the reading selection being

currently taught?"

The more frequent a word is, the greater the chances that students

will retain the word once you teach it.

Lastly, the best source of information about what words to teach is the students

themselves. Informally assess what words your students know before you start

introducing new words.


Defining a Word through Word Analysis
Submitted by SilentKnight on April 20th, 2013 Flag this news as inappropriate
Category: Articles

Hello Bubblers! Today, I'm sharing you on how to arrive through the meaning of words by
simple analysis in its formation.

First and foremost, what is a word?


According to the Mirriam-Webster Dictionary, a word is a one or more spoken sounds
carrying meaning and forming a basic unit of speech. When we thought of a common word,
it is definite that we know its meaning. Some words are easy, some can be difficult that we
need to have a reference, a dictionary perhaps, in our hands. Just take for instance, if you
heard the word "beauty," your brain will think fast because this word is common.

Arriving at the meaning of a word may require knowing its roots. This is an initial strategy for
finding its meaning.

What is a root word? It is basically the first unit, or the original form of the word.

For example, the word "engineer." Its root is "engine" and we added the suffix -er, changing
its meaning.

Analyzing a word by breaking it down to its original form and structure is very helpful when
you are just browsing over a selection or scanning it, and you do not have a dictionary on
hand to help you define the meaning of a difficult word you have come across.

Some words are formed around Greek or Latin roots. A root is the part of the word that
contains the basic meaning of a word. Tracing the origin of these roots can help you figure
out the basic meanings of unfamiliar words.

Some words in English are derived from languages all over the world. Usually Greek, Latin,
Spanish, or Cantonese.

Here are some common Greek and Latin roots and their meanings.

logos (logy) - study of


pathos - suffering, disease
therme - heat
audire - hear
flexus - bend
anthropos - human
tactus - touch
dictere - speak, tell
geos - earth
bios - life
credere or credos - believe
que - seek, ask

Here are few words and their root of origin and meaning.

1. Adolescence
-adolescere
-Latin word which means "to grow up."

2. Argue
-arguere
-Latin word which means "to make clear", "assert"

3. Robot
-Robota
-Czech word meaning "work", "compulsary service"

4. Typhoon
-taai + jung
-Cantonese (China) words meaning "great" and "wind"

5. Kindergarten
-kinder + garten
-German words meaning "children" and "garden"

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