Module 2: Activities 1 & 2

Activity 1

Creech- The sound a car makes when it is trying to stop

Droogs- something bad that has happened

Glazzies- a statement that is confusing

Goloss- how you feel after a bad loss

Malenky- to be gloomy, or depressed

Messel- an animal

Millicents- Something that is small

Poogly-something bigger

Razrex- something dealing with dinosaurs

Skorry- to score

Spatted- to spit

Zoobies- people that like to go to the zoo

            When deciding the meaning of the vocabulary words, I found it to be rather difficult to decide the meaning. Without having the words in context, it was hard to establish meaning behind these words that I had never heard of. If I had been able to read the words while they were used in a story, I would have been able to use context clues in order to define the words.

Real meaning of words:

Creech- a shout, scream

They discuss someone creeching out loud.

Droogs- friends

The main character Alex referred to his friends Pete, Georgie, and Dim as his droogs.

Glazzies- eyes

Alex refers to his “glazzies” as being glazed.

Goloss- voice

Alex first references a goloss with a singer in a bar.

Poogly- scared

He was trying to prove to others that he wasn’t poogly (scared).

After reading A Clockwork Orange, I was able to use context clues in order to determine the meaning of the vocabulary words. Reading the vocabulary words in context allowed me to make better meaning of the words. Although I had to read the words in several different contexts, I was able to interpret the meaning. When looking back on the definitions of the words before I read the text, I quickly realized that they were inaccurate. When introducing students to new vocabulary words, it is important to provide the words in context in order for them to gather a deeper understanding. During my third grade placement, I created a sentence with the new vocabulary word in it and then allowed the students to create a sentence as well. They are more likely to use the vocabulary word in dialogue or writing instead of only knowing the word and the definition if they have to use the word in a sentence.

Activity 2

·      I did not read the words letter-by-letter. I was able to break the words up in order to sound out the words that were unfamiliar to me.

·      I was able to chunk the words into syllables in order to read the words. A few of the words I mispronounced and refereed to the break up of how to pronounce the words. After looking at the correct way to pronounce the words and repeating them several times, I was much more successful.

·      I did not sample the letters in order to pronounce the words and instead chunked the syllables together.

·      To be quite honest, I do not know the meaning of the words without seeing them used in context. If I were to come across these words in a reading, I would be able to use context clues in order to gain a meaning to the words.

·      Although I was able to pronounce the words by chunking the syllables and repeating them a few times, it did not help me establish meaning with the words.

·      When I come across unknown words in a reading, I use the same strategy. I am able to chunk the syllables in order to pronounce the words. I often times have to read the word several times in order to fluently read over it.  I read the sentences that came before as well as after in order to gain meaning of the word. Using context clues is an important reading strategy.

·      I feel as though it is important to introduce new vocabulary words or words that students are unfamiliar with in either a sentence or with a passage. This allows students the opportunity to use context clues in order to gather meaning. If I were to hear an unfamiliar word and the definition to go along with it, I would not be able to retain the information as much as if it were placed in a sentence. One vocabulary activity I have completed several times with my students is having them write their new vocabulary word in a sentence as well as drawing a picture to go along with the sentence. It is important to know whether or not your students fully understand the meaning by how they use the word in a sentence. This exercise has taught me the importance of not introducing a new vocabulary word when it is not used in context.