NY Next Generation ELA 4L4.a
The Standard
Use context (e.g., definitions, examples, or restatements in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
New York State Next Generation English Language Arts Learning Standards
Teacher's field guide
What This Standard Means
What Students Need to Do
- Students use definitions, examples, and restatements within a text to infer an unfamiliar or multiple-meaning word. They identify which context structure supplies the clue.
What Mastery Looks Like
- A student locates the exact definition, example, or restatement connected to the target word. The student states a meaning that fits the passage and explains the connection.
Common Misconceptions
- Students may treat every nearby detail as a context clue or overlook signal words that introduce examples and restatements. They may copy the clue without converting it into a clear meaning.
How to Assess It
- Give students three sentences containing a definition, an example, or a restatement clue. Ask them to identify the clue type and define each word.
Lesson moves
Ways to Teach It
Highlight target words and definition, example, or restatement clues in paired colors, then draw connection arrows.
Ask, ‘Is the author defining, exemplifying, or restating this word, and what meaning does that reveal?’
Play Context Clue Sort by classifying sentence cards and solving the word on each card.
Examine unfamiliar terms in a museum label and identify how definitions or examples make them understandable.
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Printable 4L4.a Worksheet
A ready-to-print activity worksheet aligned to 4L4.a, with an answer key for the teacher on its own page. No account needed.
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Related Standards
- 8L4.a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- 6L4.a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- 7L4.a
Use context (e.g., the overall meaning of a sentence or paragraph; a word's position or function in a sentence) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
- 5L4.a
Use context (e.g., cause/effect relationships and comparisons in text) as a clue to the meaning of a word or phrase.
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