When you use context clues, you think about the word in relation to:
(1) the surrounding words and
(2) the circumstances/situation
You will sometimes need to use your prior knowledge to help you!
(1) the surrounding words and
(2) the circumstances/situation
You will sometimes need to use your prior knowledge to help you!
Using context clues to figure out meaning of words
When you use context clues to try to figure out the definition of unfamiliar words, think of the four “R’s”!
Step 1:
RECOGNIZE that you see an unfamiliar word
Step 2:
RE-READ a few sentences before and a few sentences after
Step 3:
REFLECT on the surrounding words and the circumstances/situation
- Are there any words around it that could give me clues?
- What do I know about what’s happening in this part of the text?
- Could I think of another word that would fit in this sentence?
Step 4:
REPLACE the unfamiliar word with the word you came up with and see if it makes sense!
example:
Excerpt from "Ezekial Johnson" by Walter Dean Myers:
For a man who was homeless, it [winning $14,000] was quite a windfall. The local NAACP offered to help Ezekiel invest his newfound dollars, and the neighborhood Baptists Church volunteered to find him a room he could rent. These folks really cared about the old man, so you can imagine how surprised they were when they saw on the evening news that, instead of spending the money on himself, he was donating it all to the homeless shelter over on Maple Avenue so they could buy coats for people who didn’t have one.
“Why are you giving your money away?” the TV reporter asked as the camera panned Ezekiel, stopping at the rags he had tied around his legs. “Aren’t you homeless?”
____________________________________________
My Thinking About This Word Using Context Clues...
1. I recognized the word "panned" as unfamiliar.
2. I read a few lines before and after.
3. I know that, in this part of the story, Ezekial has just received a lot of money. He decided to donate all of it instead of using it on himself even though he is homeless. Now, reporters want to interview him. I know from prior knowledge that when somebody gets interviewed, usually there are cameras around and the cameras are focused on the person being interviewed. This makes me think that maybe "panned" means something like "zoomed in on" because Ezekial is the one being interviewed so it would make sense that the cameras would be on him.
4. "Why are you giving your money away?" the TV reporter asked as the camera zoomed in on Ezekial... This seems to make sense!
For a man who was homeless, it [winning $14,000] was quite a windfall. The local NAACP offered to help Ezekiel invest his newfound dollars, and the neighborhood Baptists Church volunteered to find him a room he could rent. These folks really cared about the old man, so you can imagine how surprised they were when they saw on the evening news that, instead of spending the money on himself, he was donating it all to the homeless shelter over on Maple Avenue so they could buy coats for people who didn’t have one.
“Why are you giving your money away?” the TV reporter asked as the camera panned Ezekiel, stopping at the rags he had tied around his legs. “Aren’t you homeless?”
____________________________________________
My Thinking About This Word Using Context Clues...
1. I recognized the word "panned" as unfamiliar.
2. I read a few lines before and after.
3. I know that, in this part of the story, Ezekial has just received a lot of money. He decided to donate all of it instead of using it on himself even though he is homeless. Now, reporters want to interview him. I know from prior knowledge that when somebody gets interviewed, usually there are cameras around and the cameras are focused on the person being interviewed. This makes me think that maybe "panned" means something like "zoomed in on" because Ezekial is the one being interviewed so it would make sense that the cameras would be on him.
4. "Why are you giving your money away?" the TV reporter asked as the camera zoomed in on Ezekial... This seems to make sense!
