inferential

Secondary Content Teachers

VOCABULARY
Unknown Words in Context

Reading Services Center

SUBJECT:

Unknown Words in Context

COURSE OR GRADE:

Content Subjects

GOAL:

This strategy gives students a procedure to follow when confronted with unfamiliar words in context.

Supports the Learner Characteristic:

Has reading skills consistent with reading tasks required.

WHO:

Students who are unclear about how to proceed when they meet unknown words in context.

Content Area Teachers/Classroom Teachers

WHEN:

Teach the procedure, then have students report its use in their reading for two weeks, then one day each week.

TEACHING PROCEDURES:
Strategy to Use for Unknown Words in Context
Provide students with the Decoding Strategies card.

Select an authentic text passage with difficult words. The students need to be able to see the passage. Either use material from their text or put it on an overhead.

Model each of the three strategies to unknown words (keep reading, reread, break it apart). Give additional experience in the third strategy, which is breaking apart and decoding the words.

Step 1:

Begin reading the passage. When a difficult word is encountered, demonstrate the first procedure, which is omitting the word and reading on. Show how reading on can give clues about the word to enable the reader to recognize it.

Step 2:

Continue reading. When another difficult word is encountered, stop and think through what it might be from clues in that sentence and previous ones. (This is addressed in the Context Clues strategy.)

Check your word attempt with the three tests:

Does it make sense?
Does it sound right?
Does it look right?

Step 3:

Continue reading. This time model how to take a difficult word apart. Use the Multisyllabic Word Decoding strategy.

Again, check your word attempt with the three tests.

Step 4:

Continue reading. As you come to difficult words, have students choose a procedure to be sampled, carry it out, and report its success.

Make it clear to students the procedure they follow when meeting difficult words in context is their choice. They should learn to regulate themselves, developing an insight as to which procedure to choose.

STUDENT PRACTICE:

Students keep the Decoding Strategies available for use.

They are to refer to the strategies when an unknown long word is encountered.

Write the difficult word, dividing it into syllables.

Write a synonym for the word using context clues.

CHECK UP:

Copy a page of the text with 5 difficult words highlighted. Students should use the decoding strategies to pronounce the words. 4/5 (80%) correct would be considered mastery.

FOLLOW-UP:

For students who have difficulty using the Decoding Strategies, provide a page of text with five unknown words highlighted. Have students use each of the strategies to recognize the words.

Students should report which strategy worked the best for them.

The two strategies, Context Clues strategy and Multisyllabic Word Decoding strategy, may have to be retaught or reviewed. Students may need extensive practice in these procedures.

DECODING STRATEGIES:

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SUBJECT:	Unknown Words in Context
COURSE OR GRADE:	Content Subjects
GOAL:	This strategy gives students a procedure to follow when confronted with unfamiliar words in context. Supports the Learner Characteristic: Has reading skills consistent with reading tasks required.
WHO:	Students who are unclear about how to proceed when they meet unknown words in context. Content Area Teachers/Classroom Teachers
WHEN:	Teach the procedure, then have students report its use in their reading for two weeks, then one day each week.
TEACHING PROCEDURES:	Strategy to Use for Unknown Words in Context Provide students with the Decoding Strategies card. Select an authentic text passage with difficult words. The students need to be able to see the passage. Either use material from their text or put it on an overhead. Model each of the three strategies to unknown words (keep reading, reread, break it apart). Give additional experience in the third strategy, which is breaking apart and decoding the words. Step 1: Begin reading the passage. When a difficult word is encountered, demonstrate the first procedure, which is omitting the word and reading on. Show how reading on can give clues about the word to enable the reader to recognize it. Step 2: Continue reading. When another difficult word is encountered, stop and think through what it might be from clues in that sentence and previous ones. (This is addressed in the Context Clues strategy.) Check your word attempt with the three tests: Does it make sense? Does it sound right? Does it look right? Step 3: Continue reading. This time model how to take a difficult word apart. Use the Multisyllabic Word Decoding strategy. Again, check your word attempt with the three tests. Step 4: Continue reading. As you come to difficult words, have students choose a procedure to be sampled, carry it out, and report its success. Make it clear to students the procedure they follow when meeting difficult words in context is their choice. They should learn to regulate themselves, developing an insight as to which procedure to choose.
STUDENT PRACTICE:	Students keep the Decoding Strategies available for use. They are to refer to the strategies when an unknown long word is encountered. Write the difficult word, dividing it into syllables. Write a synonym for the word using context clues.
CHECK UP:	Copy a page of the text with 5 difficult words highlighted. Students should use the decoding strategies to pronounce the words. 4/5 (80%) correct would be considered mastery.
FOLLOW-UP:	For students who have difficulty using the Decoding Strategies, provide a page of text with five unknown words highlighted. Have students use each of the strategies to recognize the words. Students should report which strategy worked the best for them. The two strategies, Context Clues strategy and Multisyllabic Word Decoding strategy, may have to be retaught or reviewed. Students may need extensive practice in these procedures.
DECODING STRATEGIES:
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