Strategy Chart for Solving Unknown Vocabulary Words
What I Do When I Don’t Know the Meaning of a Word
Primary Strategies
First try using context clues, which means using the text around the unknown
word.




Finish the sentence and replace the word with another word that makes sense.
Go back and re-read the sentence before it and the sentence after it to help you
to try to figure it out what it means.
Think about what is happening in the text and use that information to help you.
Look for a little word that you know in the unknown word that may help you figure
out the meaning.
Secondary Strategies








Use the glossary
Use the index
Use the illustrations
Use a dictionary
Use an encyclopedia
Use a thesaurus
Use the room
Ask a friend or a teacher (expert)