This document provides strategies for determining the meaning of unknown words when reading: - Keep reading as the definition may be provided in the text. - Use context clues and partial knowledge of the word to make an educated guess. - Look for similar words in your own language to help with meaning. - If the general idea is understood, you can skip the exact word and keep reading. The goal is to continue reading while learning new words through context to improve reading comprehension.

2. The Situation
There are many words you do not know.
Looking up words in the dictionary:
 Takes time
 Interrupts reading
You forget what the sentence
was about!

3. Assignment: And this is what you do…
‫מידה‬ ‫בקנה‬

4. Did you get the right meaning for the
context?
How much have you learned?
Not much….

5. Words need context!
0 Words only have meaning in context. What does the
following word mean?
right
‫זכות‬
‫נכון‬
‫ימין‬
Add the context, and the meaning becomes clear.
• Turn right at the corner.
• Yes, I guess you are right.
• Every citizen has the right to vote.

6. Let’s look at the context:
What does the word “marked” mean here?
In this case, it really not possible to find a one word translation to
Hebrew.
??? ‫ֵּן‬‫מ‬ִ‫ס‬,‫ֵּן‬‫י‬ִ‫צ‬;‫ִין‬‫ח‬ְ‫ב‬ִ‫ה‬
You need to use the context to create a meaning – to find
the appropriate meaning of the word.

7. Not to worry!
Here is what you
can you do to get
the right meaning
and learn the
words.

8. Strategies
 Keep reading! The definition is in the text.
Environment refers to
the influence of the
world around us (e.g.,
family, school, and
friends)
Hummm…. Refers
to…
Ah!
The definition!!!
Environment refers to
the influence of the
world around us (e.g.,
family, school, and
friends)

9. Strategies
 Use the context to help you figure out the
meaning:
The Industrial
Revolution marked
a major turning point
in Earth’s ecology
and humans’
relationship with
their environment.
What idea is
missing?
An action (a verb) is
missing.
Hummm…. Was?
Test your guess. Put it
in the sentence and
see if it is logical.
was

10. Strategies
 Use part of the word to help you figure out
the meaning:
It started in the mid-
1700s in Great Britain
when machinery
began to replace
manual labor.
What idea is
missing?
Hummm….
Machinery.. machine
Test your guess. Put it
in the sentence and
see if it is logical.
machines

11. Strategies
 Use the sentence context to help you figure
out the meaning:
Human
population growth is
strongly tied together
with increased use of
artificial resources,
rather than natural.
What idea is
missing? Rather
than.. Opposite of
natural so maybe
Something that is
not natural – made
by man
Test your guess. Put it
in the sentence and
see if it is logical.
not natural

12. Strategies
 There is a word in your language that is
similar.
During the 20th century,
the world population
would take on growing
proportions, reaching
six billion people just
before the start of the
21stcentury.
What idea is
missing?
Proportions…
Something to do
with size…
Humm…. ָ‫ְּי‬‫צ‬ ְּ‫רֹופֹור‬ְּ‫פ‬‫ה‬ ??
Test your guess. Put it
in the sentence and
see if it is logical.
proportions

13. Strategies
 You can get the general meaning without
the word.
From human development,
health and life longevity, to
social improvements and
the impact on natural
resources, public health,
energy usage and
sanitation, the effects were
very great.
What idea is
missing?
A list of examples…
show human
development…
Hmmm… Got the
point.
something

14. Summing Up
 Keep reading! Sometimes the definition of the
word is given to you by the author.
 Use what you know about part of the word or
word that you know that is similar.
 Use the context to make an educated guess.
 Sometimes there is a word that is similar to a
word in your language (cognate).
 If you got the general idea, continue reading.
You can skip the exact meaning of that word!

15. The more words you know, the easier it is to read
and understand!