[LIT] teaching context clues

[Heather Poland]

Oh yes!
One of the best ways is to start w/ non-fiction text. First preview all of
the text features. This will OFTEN help and has lots of context clues about
specific words as well as content in the passage.

Another way in the running text, is to read around the word or sentence.
Teach them that often you will see a word followed by commas and that can
set off the definition. You would be amazed at how many students really
don't know this. Also, often in the sentences or even paragraphs after the
word it often will explain what the word means.

Then there is looking at the photos/captions, that often helps.

To start this process, you demo first, thinking aloud as you show them your
strategies for figuring out the context clues. Then you can do it with them,
and finally they can practice in groups or on their own, after you think
they got it.

On Mon, Aug 11, 2008 at 2:56 PM, Debbie Parker
<debracparker at sbcglobal.net>wrote:

> Hi -- Does anyone have any great ideas how to explain to 7th graders about
> figuring our context clues to understand vocab?  My kids want to immediately
> turn to the dictionary which of course interrupts their comprehension.
>  Although there is a time for dictionary look ups, I need to give some
> direct lessons in context.  Thanks,
>
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> Debbie Parker
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> debracparker at sbcglobal.net
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-- 
- Heather

"DIBELS is the worst thing to happen to the teaching of reading since the
development of flash cards." - P. David Pearson"

"When our children fail competency tests the schools lose
funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase
funding. "
—Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate