Reading Strategies Single-left-click to advance through this PowerPoint.

WELCOME TO MY CLASS! This lesson is about “de-coding” word meanings and meanings of reading passages. Single-left-click to advance through this PowerPoint.

CONTEXT CLUES & WORD MEANINGS Identifying context clues in reading is made easier by looking for the key context clue categories within the context of an effective step-by-step strategy. So here’s the strategy:

FP’S BAG When you come to an unknown word, apply the steps of the “FP’S BAG” strategy in the following order until you get a good clue about the meaning of an unknown word.

“FP’S BAG” Finish the sentence. See how the word fits into the whole sentence. Pronounce the word, out loud, if possible, and if not, inwardly ponder the sound of the word by using both phonics (“Sound it out”) and experience (Try to remember [a] time[s] you’ve heard and/or read the word.. Sometimes hearing the word will give you a clue to meaning. Syllables–Examine each word part. Word parts can be helpful clues to meaning. Before–Read the sentence before the unknown word : YOUR CONTEXT CLUES! The sentence before can hint at what the word means. After–Read the sentence after the unknown word. The sentence after can define, explain, or provide an example of the word. Grammar–Determine the part of speech. Pay attention to where the word is placed in the sentence, the ending of the word, and its grammatical relationship to other known words for clues to meaning.

Parts of Speech Please review the PARTS OF SPEECH (with exercises): If it’s more convenient, make yourself a note to return to this task later!

PLEASE GO TO THE LINK ABOVE TO STUDY WHAT IS LISTED BELOW! Vocabulary Analysis: Some common Greek and Latin roots Prefixes & Suffixes in de-coding words AND At the bottom of the web page, please do QUIZZES 1 & 2 of: If it’s more convenient, make yourself a note to return to this task later!

Vocabulary in Context CONTEXT refers to the words surrounding an unfamiliar word. These surrounding words provide clues to the meaning of an unfamiliar word. Using context clues to understand the meaning of unfamiliar words helps the reader in the following ways: 1. Saves time since the reader doesn't have to look the word up in the dictionary. 2. Gives the reader a good sense of how a word is actually used.

There are four common types of context clues: 1. Examples 2. Synonyms 3. Antonyms 4. General Sense of the Sentence or Passage

The context clue categories : Synonym–Sometimes an unknown word is defined by the use of a synonym, a word with the SAME meaning. Synonyms appear in apposition ( appositives are re-namers ), in which case commas, dashes, or parentheses are used. Example: The wardrobe, or closet, opened the door to a brand new world. Antonym–Sometimes an unknown word is defined by the use of an antonym ( a word with an OPPOSITE meaning ). Antonym clues will often use Signal Words, for example: however, not, but, in contrast Example: He signaled a left, not a right, turn.

Logic clues Logic–Your own knowledge about the content and text structure may provide clues to meaning. Logic clues can lead to a logical guess as to the meaning of an unknown word. Example: He petted the canine, and then made her sit up and beg for a bone. If the reader did not know the word “canine,” a guess could be made to its meaning by the text “made her sit up and beg for a bone.”

Example clues Example clues will often use transition words e.g., such as, for example, like Example: Adventurous, rowdy, and crazy pioneers all found their way out West. The pioneers of the “Old West” were like the crazy people in stories by Louis L'Amore and Zane Grey: They all sat up late around the camp fire by night and rode in the hot sun by day. The word “ZANEY” became associated with Zane Grey and his rowdy, crazy pioneers.

PRACTICE On the page at the following link, write your answers on paper then scroll down to check your answers:

MORE PRACTICE At the following links, some practice items might seem too easy, and that’s because it is geared towards ESL students, but as you’ll see the exercises are useful:

Thanks for your scholarship!

KEEP READING and STUDYING!