• Students use context clues to determine and clarify the meaning of words.

• Students identify types of context clues and demonstrate the application of context clues to infer the meaning of grade-level text.

• Students use vocabulary words in sentences and include a context clue in their sentences.

• Students use context clues to clarify the meaning of words that have multiple meanings.

• Teachers explain and review context clues.

• Teachers model how to use context clues to clarify the meaning of words. 

• Teachers provide feedback about students’ use of context clues to clarify word meaning.

• Teachers model how to use context clues to clarify the meaning of words when the words have multiple meanings.

When students have difficulty identifying context clues, the teacher can 

• explain the different types of context clues that help determine and clarify meanings of unknown words: 

• definitions or explanation

• synonyms or restatement

• antonyms or contrast

• examples

• word parts or using root words and affixes

• Display an anchor chart with the different types of context clues for the students to reference. 

When students have difficulty clarifying the meaning of unknown words using context clues, the teacher can

• provide small-group instruction where students identify the unknown word in a passage and then highlight the context clues that contain the meaning.  The student then uses the word in a different sentence to clarify the meaning. 

• Context Clue: the information from a text that helps identify the meaning of a word or word group. 

• 4.4.R.1: Relationships among words

• 4.4.R.3: Use word parts

• 4.4.R.4: Resource materials

• 4.4.R.5: Acquire new vocabulary