Teaching article
Context helps with meaning; it should not replace decoding
Use surrounding meaning to discuss vocabulary while keeping decoding instruction separate.
A sentence can help explain what a decoded word means. Keep that comprehension work distinct from guessing an unknown written word because a picture or the surrounding topic suggests something plausible.
Explain unfamiliar meaning after decoding the written word. Context can support comprehension without becoming an instruction to guess words from pictures.
Two different reading problems need different support
Read the sentence with appropriate decoding support. Discuss what the surrounding information suggests. Check the meaning in a suitable reference.
A sentence about carefully opening a 'fragile' model helps discuss meaning; it should not replace teaching the written word.
Context is not a substitute for systematic decoding instruction.
What confirmed the word's meaning? An adult can read the target word aloud.
Resources
- Colour-in Word Search Generator — Optional word-finding practice after discussing the selected words; this does not teach decoding.
Further reading
Read next
- Compound words: do the parts form a meaningful whole?
- Rhyming words can look different on the page
- Fiction and information texts: look beyond the cover
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