Determine the meaning of unfamiliar words using context clues
Textbook writers usually know when they must use a word that will be new to their student readers. So they often include other words or phrases to help students understand the new word. These words or phrases, built into the sentences around the potentially difficult new word, are referred to as context clues. If students learn to look for more familiar words and phrases around difficult words they encounter in their reading, they will be able to make logical guesses about the meanings of many words and save many trips to the dictionary.
When readers come across these unfamiliar words, they often look in different places in the text for clues to meaning. These clues can be found before, within, or after the sentence with the unfamiliar word. Readers also look for signal words associated with context clues.
Using the context clues in the sentence below, what is the correct meaning of the italicized word? Hint: "hearing of her husband's accident" is one context clue.
We thought that the mother would be distraught at hearing of her husband's accident; however, she seemed to take the news quite calmly.
tranquil angry disgusted upset
The word 'accident' signals the meaning of the word 'distraught.' Another context clue is 'however,' which signals a reversal, while the final context clue is "seemed to take the news quite calmly." With 'however' signaling a reversal, the reader can guess that 'distraught' is the opposite of calmness, and thus that its meaning is something like 'upset.'
Check out the following link for extended practice in using context clues.
Readings on Vocabulary Instruction
Beck, I., McKeown, M., & Kucan, L. (2002 ). Bringing words to life: Robust vocabulary instruction. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Bear, D., Invernizzzi, M., Templeton, S. and Johnston, F. (2000). Words their way: Word study for phonics, vocabulary and spelling instruction. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.
