The Importance of Context

The Importance of Understanding Context

 

This week’s tip is brought to you from a great book by Teresa Walter called Teaching English Language Learners: The How-to Handbook (Longman Publishers, 2004).

Try to read this text:

“Favourable conditions are necessary to do this activity. That is, you have to have enough rouche. If there is too much rouche, the object might break. But if conditions are too calm, you will have problems because the rouche makes the object go up. If there are obstacles, a serious problem can result because you cannot control the rouche. Usually rouche is most favourable during spring.”

A researcher named Shirley Adams gave the above text to a group of students without providing any extra comments or context. Only 13 % of her students could define rouche.

Then, after offering contextual information to her students (ie: this passage is about flying a kite), 78% of her students were then able to define that rouche means wind. By offering a context, the students were then able to narrow down the possibilities for defining the unknown (but KEY) word. The context also helped them to use prior knowledge to construct meaning.

Notice that in the text, rouche is probably the most difficult word (and perhaps the only unfamiliar word).

 In nonfiction texts, often comprehension can hinge on one unfamiliar key content word.

 Simple ways to create context for ALL students (not just EAL students)

1. use visuals (add clip art/images on powerpoints, in the margins of your notes and handouts, show videos, draw simple illustrations on the board as you speak, bring in realia, etc.

 2. preview topics (have guided class or partner discussions before you read, use anticipation guides)

 3. offer definitions of challenging words (add a simple little glossary to your handouts, powerpoint slides, notes). Simple definitions can be found on www.learnersdictionary.com.