Context in teaching reading refers to the surrounding words, sentences, and overall text that help readers understand the meaning of unfamiliar words or concepts. It's leveraging the information available in the text itself to derive meaning. Importantly, the primary goal is comprehension of the text, not just memorizing word definitions.
Understanding Context Clues
Context clues are hints within a text that readers can use to understand unfamiliar words or phrases. They're essentially the surrounding environment that illuminates meaning.
Why is Context Important?
- Improves Comprehension: According to provided information, the real purpose of using context is to comprehend the text, not to learn word meanings. By utilizing context, readers can grasp the overall meaning of the passage.
- Increases Efficiency: Relying on context reduces the need to constantly interrupt reading to look up every unknown word, improving reading speed and flow. As the provided text states, context use also improves efficiency and reduces the burden of having to look up so many words.
- Enhances Reading Rate: By understanding words in context, readers can process information more quickly, leading to a faster reading rate. As referenced, if we teach context use effectively, then reading comprehension, and perhaps, reading rate, should improve.
Types of Context Clues
| Type of Clue | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Definition/Explanation | The meaning of the word is directly stated in the sentence or a nearby sentence. | "An arachnid, like a spider, has eight legs." |
| Synonym | A word with a similar meaning is used in the sentence. | "The movie was hilarious, simply uproarious." |
| Antonym | A word with the opposite meaning is used in the sentence. | "Unlike her gregarious sister, Sarah was quiet and shy." |
| Example | Examples are given to help explain the meaning of the word. | "Many felines, such as lions, tigers, and domestic cats, are excellent hunters." |
| Inference | The meaning is not directly stated but can be inferred from the surrounding text. | "The detective surveyed the room, his brow furrowed. He was clearly perplexed by the lack of obvious clues." |
| Cause and Effect | Understanding the relationship between actions and their consequences to infer meaning. | "Because she studied diligently, she earned a good grade. Her hard work led to the positive outcome." |
Teaching Strategies for Context Use
- Direct Instruction: Explicitly teach different types of context clues and how to identify them.
- Modeling: Demonstrate how to use context clues while reading aloud.
- Guided Practice: Provide opportunities for students to practice using context clues with support.
- Independent Practice: Encourage students to use context clues independently while reading.
- Think-Alouds: Encourage students to verbalize their thought processes as they use context clues.
- Graphic Organizers: Use graphic organizers to help students organize and visualize the context clues they find.
