1. Language Standards

2. 9th Grade Language standards…
Focus on…
Parallel Structure
Writing under the rules of a style guide
Using different types of phrases and clauses
Using a semicolon
Using a colon
Spelling correctly
Figuring out what unknown words mean by
Using context
Understanding patterns of word changes
Using reference materials to find pronunciation, meaning, and/or etymology
Understanding figurative language and word relationships.
Connotations of words with similar denotations

3. Standards – “Introduce”
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.L.9.4 (+A,B,D)
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases by choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
Use context as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
Identify and correctly use patterns of word changes that indicate different meanings or parts of speech
Verify the preliminary determination of the meaning of a word or phrase.

4. Reference materials Something to keep in mind…
Yes, reference materials are useful. But they are also created by people—people with philosophies, agendas, life experiences, biases, etc.
Therefore, we need not worship dictionaries.
They are useful, certainly, but they do not contain all of the knowledge in the world.
Also, not all reference materials carry the same information.
Difference between a dictionary for children and one for medical practicioners?
A handbook for motorcycle repair for “dummies” vs. one for a mechanic?
Some things you’ll need to know how to use a reference guide for…
Pronunciation guides (the dots in the pronunciation marking are to separate syllables)
Etymology (word origin, breakdown of word parts)

5. What do we even mean by “context”?
Definition
The word is defined at some other point in the text. It is often immediately before or after the sentence in which the unfamiliar term is found.
Synonym
The author provides one or more words that have similar denotations or connotations to the unfamiliar word.
Antonym
The author provides one or more words that have distinctly different denotations or connotations than the unfamiliar word.
Transitions
The author uses coordinate conjunctions or transition-like constructions to relate the unfamiliar word to other words.
Inference
We can use the information we DO understand about the rest of the section to find logical clues to the word’s meaning.
Text features
Sometimes, authors will provide additional information related to the meaning of unknown words in the way they mark the unfamiliar term in a text.

6. Practice
Directions: On your own paper, write down the word in bold. Then, determine which vocabulary strategy can be used to provide clues to the word’s meaning.
Even in today’s world, their situation would be really dire, but think about how much worse it would have been then.
In English, fear is something we conquer. It’s something we fight. It’s something we overcome.
What if we thought of fear as an amazing act of the imagination, something that can be as profound and insightful as storytelling itself?
I remember how frightening it was to see the chandelier that hung above our dining table swing back and forth during every minor earthquake, and I sometimes couldn’t sleep at night, terrified that the Big One might strike while we were sleeping.

7. Practice, Continued
5. His emaciation, that is, his skeleton-like appearance, was frightening to see. 6. Fluoroscopy, examination with a fluoroscope, has become a common practice. 7. The mountain pass was a tortuous road, winding and twisting like a snake around the trees of the mountainside. 8. The children were as different as day and night. He was a lively conversationalist, but she was reserved and taciturn.

8. Patterns for word changes
Another clue to understanding an unfamiliar word’s meaning: word parts
We can use both context and word parts to determine the part of speech of a word.
Words can retain their root meaning but change part of speech if certain word parts are changed.
Ex: Information
Combination of a verb + tion = a noun meaning the action/result of the verb.
This is not just a one-off example…it is a pattern.
Electrocution, revolution, solution, attraction
Ex: Kindness
Combination of adjective + ness = a noun meaning “the state of [adj]”
Happiness, sadness, readiness, attentiveness

9. Practice! – What’s the pattern?
Directions: On the same paper as the last practice, write down the formula that each list of words follows. What are the parts they are made of and what do they result in?
Hypothesize, accessorize, advertise, alphabetize
Teacher, writer, learner, worker, lender
Government, development, management, movement, agreement
Moveable, workable, agreeable. believable
Dangerous, frivolous, disastrous

10. Homework (Due 9/1) Context Clues Practice Worksheet.
Directions: Circle the letter of the best meaning of the underlined word as it is used in context. Then, next to the question, identify the vocabulary strategy best used to find the answer.