The book Explaining Reading by Gerald Duffy has a chapter on this. He talks about finding clue words by looking back or ahead in the text. There are usually clues around the unknown word to give a good idea of what the word probably means. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Suzanne" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv'" <mosaic@literacyworkshop.org> Sent: Friday, January 12, 2007 4:02 PM Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] Context Clues
> Does anyone have any ideas on how best to teach context clues? > Suzanne/VA > > -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of thomas > Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 11:47 PM > To: Mosaic: A Reading Comprehension Strategies Listserv > Subject: Re: [MOSAIC] basal reading series > > The materials for analyzing literacy materials that come from Oregon - as > these do - are based on a behaviorist, part to whole view of reading and > literacy. (and be certain in addition that they don't give any credence > to > the importance of writing in general for its on sake or in support of > reading or to the constructivist approaches to writing espoused by this > list > serve.) Be sure that you are aware of that deep bias. It provides a very > very narrow, rigid set of criteria, emphasizing phonemic awarenesss and > phonics above all, rigid sequences expected and so on. If you use these > materials you will come up with the "right answers" according to Reading > First. And hopefully you are aware of the findings of the Inspector > General > with regard to this initiative not being carried out ethically in terms of > bias for certain programs, educators, materials, and so on. > > I will send to this list tomorrow (I have to find it at work) a set of > criteria that originates from IRA/NCTE sources/educators and which is > probably more constructivist in its assumptions though ( or in fact a > constructivist approach would expect different perspectives, right?) it > sets > out a FULL range of possibilities. What I do like about the second > source > is that it includes MANY aspects, issues of literacy to examine....and has > users analyze how they would rank those aspects in terms of importance > etc. > So it actually gives a full range instead of the very narrow range > provided > by the criteria created by U of Oregon folk and cited by the Florida > "research" center. It expects users to make/ analyze their own beliefs and > priorities and to make assumptions from a full range. So one could use > this > list and come up with same outcomes recommended by the Oregon criteria > document. But at least one would have to then be explicit about the > underlying assumptions. Instead the Oregon document assumes neutrality > (assumes that it is the right answer) which it doesn't exemmplify. > > I am not trying to set up a battle or argument here. What is important > for > me is approaches which even if they have a point of view - which in fact > we > all do - recognize the range, acknowledge the range of points of view, and > expect us as professionals to search for underlying assumptions, > contradictions, and so on. We need to know our positions and their > assumptions. We need to be HONEST. We should not blindly accept > anything. > So I am MORE open to materials, research, educators who can lay out the > full > range of possibilities, understand the assumptions behind each, and THEN > can > make a case for their particular conclusions. > > I hope that is what this list could support and I think it does. I can > respectfully disagree with perspectives on literacy which are not mine. > But > educators better know the research, all the arguments, and have fully > developed rationales, not just be arguing a perspective blindly. > > Sorry. I always promise myself not to get "het up." and why do I do this > when I have so much to do? And I may "het up" some others? But I SO > respect what the educators on this list are trying to accomplish. And the > respect with which those new to the list are given. And I absolutely > believe that EVERYONE on this list is dedicated to trying to do what is > best > for children. So to keep quiet is beyond my ability. I've been blessed > (or > cursed -smile) with the opportunity to see and know a much wider range of > the research and the politics and so on than when I was busy in my > classroom > and with a growing family and so on. So I am going to go ahead and speak > up. > > Till tomorrow. R emind me if I get caught up in busyness. I actually need > to dig it out for my new Reading Certificate class just beginning this > semester > sallhy > > > On 1/11/07 11:47 AM, "Amy Williams" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > >> We face this decision next year and hope to be much wiser this time. I >> was given to resources at a seminar in December. >> Florida Center for Reading Research http://www.fcrr.org >> Oregon Reading First http://oregonreadingfirst.uoregon.edu >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Mosaic mailing list >> Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org >> To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to >> http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. >> >> Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. >> > > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > > _______________________________________________ > Mosaic mailing list > Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org > To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to > http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. > > Search the MOSAIC archives at http://snipurl.com/MosaicArchive. > > _______________________________________________ Mosaic mailing list Mosaic@literacyworkshop.org To unsubscribe or modify your membership please go to http://literacyworkshop.org/mailman/options/mosaic_literacyworkshop.org. 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