Context Clues: When They Help… and When They Don’t

Written By Sean Redmond

Context clues are a double-edged sword. While sometimes helpful, they can also mislead. Fisher and Frey categorize them as:

  • Misdirective

  • Nondirective

  • General

  • Directive

Teaching students how to evaluate context clues—and verify meaning with morphology—strengthens comprehension. Modeling this evaluation process in real time is key. Let’s help students build not just vocabulary, but discernment.

Sean Redmond
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