Transcript Using Context Clues

Using Context Clues
Teacher Think Aloud
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
1
What are the steps to
understanding new words?
Try to sound out the word.

Find the vowel sounds

Count the syllables

Look for common beginnings and endings

Slash the word into parts if needed
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
2
What are the steps to
understanding new words?

Read the sentence that the word is in.
 Identify how the word is being used.
Noun
•Person
Verb
•Action
•Place
•Thing
Describing Word
•Adverbs describe verbs
•Adjectives describe nouns
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
3
What are the steps to
understanding new words?

Read the whole paragraph that the word is
in. Think about what the author is trying
to say.

Try to remember if you have ever seen or
heard this word somewhere else before.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
4
What are the steps to
understanding new words?

Look for Context Clues in the text.

What type of clue has the author has given?
•
•
•
•
Definition Clue
Example Clue
Synonym Clue
Antonym Clue
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
5
What are the steps to
understanding new words?

Finally, use what you already know from
your own experience to help you
understand the word.

Decide what you think the word means.

Go back and reread the passage to see if
your definition makes sense.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
6
Modeled Practice
Let me show you!

Look at the following passage.
He sailed up the river as far as he
could. Then he came to dangerous
rapids. He had to stop. No ship could
pass through the rocky rapids.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
7
Modeled Practice
He sailed up the river as far as he could.
Then he came to dangerous rapids. He had to
stop. No ship could pass through the rocky rapids.
 First I need to decide if it is a noun, verb,
or describing word.
 Well, it says “he came to dangerous
rapids” so it sounds like this is a place. It
must be a noun.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
8
Modeled Practice
He sailed up the river as far as he could.
Then he came to dangerous rapids. He had to
stop. No ship could pass through the rocky rapids.
 Next I will read the whole paragraph and
think about where this “place” is.
 It says “he sailed up the river” so rapids
must be a place on the river.
 It also uses the describing words
“dangerous” and “rocky” to tell about the
rapids.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
9
Modeled Practice
He sailed up the river as far as he could.
Then he came to dangerous rapids. He had to
stop. No ship could pass through the rocky rapids.
 I think I know what the word rapids must
mean.
 It must be a dangerous place on the river
where there are rocks in the water.
 That makes sense because a ship might get
damaged from hitting rocks in the water.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
10
Summary

Try to sound out the word.

Read the sentence that the word is in.

Identify how the word is being used.

Read the whole paragraph that the word is in.
Think about what the author is trying to say.

Look for Context Clues in the text.

Finally, use what you already know from your
own experience to help you understand the word.
Copyright Rebecca@
www.ReadingInnovations.com
11