[LIT] vocab / Middle Ground

[Linda Crumrine]

I agree with most of what you said.  I also do not have my students  
look words up in a dictionary.  However, I want them to have the  
awareness that using context clues may be misleading - they need to  
integrate trying to use context clues with their own good thinking,  
being aware that sometimes using context can be misleading.  I don't  
require my students to memorize the types of context clues.  But, I  
want them to be aware that there are drawbacks to depending solely on  
context.  Hope this makes sense.
On Feb 3, 2008, at 7:40 PM, Heather Poland wrote:

> I disagree. Often, context clues do work, but not always. When they  
> don't,
> they can rely on morphology. If they don't know a root or can't  
> figure out
> the parts of a word, well, they need to decide if it is essential  
> that they
> know the meaning. If not, they can skip it. That is what real  
> readers do. I
> *never* sit with a dictionary and look up every word I do not know.  
> I use
> context clues and morphology, and then if I don't absolutely need  
> to know
> the meaning, I move on. Later, if I'm interested, I might look up  
> the word,
> but usually not.
>
> Teaching context clues is not just about a couple of strategies.  
> There are
> many, and they all require thinking. Sometimes commas will set off the
> definition, often a sentence before or after will give clue, or  
> sometimes
> you have to read the whole paragraph. And sometimes, yes, there  
> will be no
> context clues. This is why students need a variety of strategies to  
> use. I
> don't see the point of teaching the students the names of the types of
> contexts - it's just something else for them to memorize, and  
> really doesn't
> serve to help them. But teaching them how to figure out words is  
> powerful.
> But it cannot be just one or two strategies.
>
> On Feb 3, 2008 4:24 PM, Linda Crumrine <lcrum at maine.rr.com> wrote:
>
>> I think we need to teach our students that they should try context
>> clues, but that they often do not work.  Beck teaches there are 4
>> types of context, and this is what I teach my  students.  Here is an
>> example of each type of context:
>> Categories of Natural Context:
>>
>> Misdirective - There's a wireless and lots of books.
>>
>> Nondirective - Paula put down her pirn, wrapped herself in a
>> paduasoy, and entered puerperium.
>>
>> General Context - Eagles eat carrion mostly in the winter, when other
>> food is hard to find.
>>
>> Directive Context - Eagles have talons, or claws, to help hold
>> slippery, wriggling fish.
>>
>> I think when we teach context, we also need to teach flexibility of
>> thinking.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> On Feb 3, 2008, at 7:05 PM, FineArt11 at aol.com wrote:
>>
>>> we do not do any dictionary work in my high school classroom.
>>> they  are
>>> struggling readers and i have found the dictionary will not help.
>>> they  are not
>>> inclined to work their way through the definitions to find the
>>> correct  one.
>>> would they not have to understand the context anyway to find the
>>> correct
>>> dictionary meaning?  we use context clues to find the definition
>>> because they will
>>> not have a dictionary to use during a test or the SAT and  sadly,
>>> they will
>>> not make the effort to use one when they come across a word  they
>>> do not
>>> understand when reading anytime.
>>>
>>> *\l/**\l/**\l/*Lynn*\l/**\l/**\l/*
>>> Once you  learn to read, you will be forever free"
>>>
>>> -Frederick  Douglass
>>> http://readingsisters101.blogspot.com/
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> **************Biggest Grammy Award surprises of all time on AOL  
>>> Music.
>>> (http://music.aol.com/grammys/pictures/never-won-a-grammy?
>>> NCID=aolcmp003000000025
>>> 48)
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>
>
>
> -- 
> - Heather
>
> "The world of books is the most remarkable creation of
> man. Nothing else that he builds ever lasts. Monuments
> fall; nations perish; civilizations grow old and die out;
> new races build others. But in the world of books are
> volumes that have seen this happen again and again and yet
> live on. Still young, still as fresh as the day they were
> written, still telling men's hearts of the hearts of men
> centuries dead." --Clarence Day
>
> "While the rhetoric is highly effective, remarkably little
> good evidence exists that there's any educational substance
> behind the accountability and testing movement."
> —Peter Sacks, Standardized Minds
>
> "When our children fail competency tests the schools lose
> funding. When our missiles fail tests, we increase
> funding. "
> —Dennis Kucinich, Democratic Presidential Candidate
> _______________________________________________
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