When we encounter a word we don’t know, we can use context clues to figure out the meaning. Children with smaller vocabularies benefit from explicitly learning skills such as context clues to grow their vocabulary more independently. So how do you teach context clues in speech therapy sessions? Let’s dive in! In this therapy guide, I’ll go through how we can teach context clues step-by-step.
What are Context Clues?
Context clues are hints in a sentence or passage that help us figure out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. We can use different types of clues, such as definitions, synonyms, antonyms, examples, and inference clues to determine what a word means.
Why Do We Teach Context Clues?
Using context clues helps children learn the meanings of unfamiliar words while reading and listening. It also builds vocabulary, improves reading comprehension, and encourages students to become more independent word learners.
Foundational Skills for Using Context Clues
As mentioned earlier, there are different types of context clues, including synonym clues and antonym clues. As such, students would benefit from first learning what synonyms and antonyms are to effectively use these types of clues to learn the meaning of new words.
How To Teach Context Clues in Speech Therapy
Introduce the concept with examples and visuals
You can introduce the concept of context clues with clear visuals and examples. You can explicitly discuss the types of context clues a student might encounter when reading, and how to use the clues in the text to find the meaning of an unknown word. See the image below for an example of how to define each clue type and examples for each.
Provide some focused practice opportunities
After introducing the concept of context clues, you can provide opportunities to put the concept into practice. This is also called a mini-lesson in vocabulary intervention where you focus on a skill and provide short and intensive practice opportunities for the student to understand the concept. Then, they can use this skill as a tool for reading comprehension and for learning new words when they engage with language in natural contexts such as books, stories, conversation, and everyday activities.
For context clues, I like to use Tier 2 words for practice and to provide scaffolding by starting with easier clue types, then introducing more difficult clue types gradually. I also like to provide scaffolding within each clue type by starting with tasks that provide support like multiple-choice questions, then moving to tasks where students answer independently. We can teach students to look for clues within the sentence or in surrounding sentences. For example, I like to use this progression:
1. Definition clues
Definition clues are the easiest clue type because the definition of the word is provided. For example:
- The scientist examined the plant by looking closely at every leaf.
Here, if the student does not know the meaning of the word “examine”, they can figure out the meaning with the definition clue in the sentence, “looking closely”.
2. Synonym clues
Next, synonym clues are also straightforward because a synonym is used in the sentence or surrounding sentences. For example:
- The kitten was timid. It was too shy to come out from under the bench.
Here, if the student does not know the meaning of the word “timid”, they can figure out the meaning with the synonym clue in the next sentence, “shy”.
3. Antonym clues
Antonym clues are a bit more difficult than synonym clues. Instead of using a word with a similar meaning, an antonym clue uses a word with an opposite meaning to help figure out the meaning of the unknown word. For example:
- The rabbit moved swiftly, but the turtle moved slowly.
Here, if the student does not know the meaning of the word “swiftly”, they can figure out the meaning with the antonym clue in the sentence, “slowly”.
4. Example clues
Next, example clues are clues where one or more examples are given in the sentence or surrounding sentences to help figure out the meaning of an unknown word. For example:
- We brought many beverages to the picnic, such as water, juice, and milk.
Here, if the student does not know the meaning of the word “beverage”, they can figure out the meaning with the example clues in the sentence, “water, juice, and milk”. In this example, the student has to use their knowledge of categories to understand that these are examples of types of drinks, or beverages.
5. Inference clues
Finally, inference clues are the most challenging clues because the meaning of the word is not directly explained. The student must use inferencing skills and background knowledge to make an educated guess to figure out the meaning of the word. For example:
- It rained all day, so we had to stay inside. I can’t wait for the rain to cease.
Here, if the student does not know the meaning of the word “cease”, they can’t figure out the meaning of the word with any specific words within the text. They must use inferencing skills and background knowledge. In the previous sentence, the person says they “had to” stay inside and that they can’t wait for the rain to cease. Putting these clues together can help the student figure out that “cease” means stop.
After some practice, you’ll be able to determine whether the child has grasped the concept of context clues and is ready to apply these skills in natural contexts.
Practice in meaningful contexts
Language intervention is most effective when it’s contextualized, so that means using natural and meaningful contexts like books, short stories, toys, games, etc. More on that in the next section!
Activities to Teach and Practice Context Clues
Here is an example of how you could teach and practice context clues in speech therapy sessions.
Mini-Lesson
As I mentioned earlier, using visuals and a few activity pages can provide short and intensive practice opportunities for the student to understand this language concept before they put these skills into practice with contextualized language intervention.
I’ve created an activity packet with parent handouts, visuals, and practice activities you can use for mini-lessons or for review. It provides scaffolding and practice opportunities to support students as they learn to use context clues. You can check it out here!
Reading Books and Story Retell
Reading books, comics, short stories, and other types of texts is a great way to create a meaningful context for language intervention.
First, read the story as a whole. Then, go back and find any Tier 2 words the student may not know. Have the student practice finding context clues from the text to figure out the meaning of the unknown word. It is worth noting that context clues in natural contexts like books and stories might not give enough clues to fully understand the meaning of the unknown word, but they might increase the student’s knowledge of that word and provide exposure to a new word in a natural context.
Finally, the student can retell the story and use the new vocabulary words they learned. This gives them the opportunity to apply the words they learned in practice in a meaningful language context as they retell the story in their own words.
Adapting Activities to Virtual Sessions
If you are a tele-therapist and provide virtual speech therapy sessions, you could use the digital activities in the Activity Packet or any other teaching materials for the mini-lesson part. Then, for contextualized practice, you could use digital books, homework assignments, or any other text they may encounter in everyday life like websites, recipes, menus, game instructions, etc.
Carryover and Home Practice
Caregivers and teachers can help students practice context clues during everyday activities, such as reading books, having conversations, completing homework, or participating in classroom activities. When the student encounters an unfamiliar word, caregivers can encourage the child to use the surrounding sentences to figure out what the word means. Even if they don’t determine the exact meaning, talking through their reasoning helps build the strategy.
You can also provide caregivers and teachers with information handouts that summarize how they can support the student’s vocabulary development using context clues.
What’s Next?
Context clues are a great tool for students to independently learn new words. Other great vocabulary-building skills can be taught alongside context clues, such as:
- Using prefixes and suffixes
- Explicit vocabulary instruction
A Step-by-Step Resource for Teaching Context Clues
We’ve discussed how to teach context clues in speech therapy step by step. Whether you’re a speech therapist, parent, or educator, teaching this skill can be simple and effective! If you’re looking for a structured way to introduce and teach this skill, my Context Clues Activity Packet includes teaching visuals, parent handouts, and scaffolded practice opportunities that are perfect to use as a mini-lesson for students to understand this important language concept.
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