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Generally speaking," Context" means the circumstances in which the text is used. Webster defines it as" the whole situation background or environment relating to a particular event" .language is shown in authentic contexts encouraging readers to focus on meaning as well as structure .So readers are facing not only with the task of observing and choosing culturally relevant features of the context but also with patting linguistic features in relation to other features to arrive at some understanding of language in use.
When conversation gets confusing people say," I know you think you understand what you heard me say, but I'm not sure if what you heard was what I really meant."Once the same talk or text is put in different situations, its understanding must alter accordingly. That's also why teaching culture is harder than teaching language. language has rules, while context doesn't .Every word needs a context to give it meaning, if you don't know the context, the word is nonsense thus, to a large extent, the concept of "context" is the key to the understanding of language.
In practical English-teaching, "context" is taught as well as vocabulary and grammar, which are all the influential factors in the understanding of English. The traditional way of teaching English is to teach the students words and expressions, together with the grammar rules but be unaware of the importance of context .That's why situational English teaching method, one of the most efficient and popular ways of teaching, came into being .For instance, we cannot define the meaning of the phrase "eat one's words" from the phrase itself as “食言”，Which is translated word-for-word. If we put phrase in a text, it is quite easy to get to know that it means “收回某人的話或承认自己说错话”，And it is the phrase "break one's words" that means “食言” Also , memorizing the words or phrases in the context is a good method in memorizing words , So it is not encouraged for the students to keep reciting the words from the context instead of learning the words themselves . And it's not enough to know its meaning. It is better to put it into practical use in some real or imaginary context. Besides, context is essential in English teaching by means of "situational teaching methodology". InLead-in or presentation of the whole text, it is common to put the new words in some invented known context so that the students can understand easily. In the following 2 steps of teaching, it is also useful to make some post-reading activities, such as performances or debate, for the students to practice and consolidate. What's more, context can even be used in the grammar teaching. It is quite boring and inefficient just to teach grammar rules. Invent some situation, which we call "context", and let the students understand the usage and grammar rules by inference or analysis by themselves. That proves to be the better way.
As we can see, context is the key to the understanding of language. But what's the key to "context"? The answer is "find the clue". The "clue" is the thread that leads you safely through danger. So students can learn how to obtain the meanings of the unknown words through recognizing and apply-ing context clues. And what's the best way to "get the clue"? The answer is "inference". Inference is the most common and efficient way to find the contextual clue. Sometimes a word or phrase is not immediately clarified within the same sentence.
Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied. The reader must look for clues within, before, and after the sentence in which the word is used. Here are some examples:
1. He was on the carpet for not finishing his essay on Baldacci.
.Definition: on the carpet means in trouble.
.Explanation: Because he had not finished his essay on time, he was going to be in trouble.
.context clue: Inference (The words not finishing infer getting into trouble)
2. She was now the assistant cook in the house.
.Explanation: Because if the family is rich, assistant cook is needed but he must work in a mansion instead of a house, whereas, if it is ordinary family, assistant cook is not necessary at all. So the house here has a particular meaning like "restaurant" / "tea house" etc.
.Context clue: Inference (The words "assistant cook" infer that the house can not be the one in common sense).
When conversation gets confusing people say," I know you think you understand what you heard me say, but I'm not sure if what you heard was what I really meant."Once the same talk or text is put in different situations, its understanding must alter accordingly. That's also why teaching culture is harder than teaching language. language has rules, while context doesn't .Every word needs a context to give it meaning, if you don't know the context, the word is nonsense thus, to a large extent, the concept of "context" is the key to the understanding of language.
In practical English-teaching, "context" is taught as well as vocabulary and grammar, which are all the influential factors in the understanding of English. The traditional way of teaching English is to teach the students words and expressions, together with the grammar rules but be unaware of the importance of context .That's why situational English teaching method, one of the most efficient and popular ways of teaching, came into being .For instance, we cannot define the meaning of the phrase "eat one's words" from the phrase itself as “食言”，Which is translated word-for-word. If we put phrase in a text, it is quite easy to get to know that it means “收回某人的話或承认自己说错话”，And it is the phrase "break one's words" that means “食言” Also , memorizing the words or phrases in the context is a good method in memorizing words , So it is not encouraged for the students to keep reciting the words from the context instead of learning the words themselves . And it's not enough to know its meaning. It is better to put it into practical use in some real or imaginary context. Besides, context is essential in English teaching by means of "situational teaching methodology". InLead-in or presentation of the whole text, it is common to put the new words in some invented known context so that the students can understand easily. In the following 2 steps of teaching, it is also useful to make some post-reading activities, such as performances or debate, for the students to practice and consolidate. What's more, context can even be used in the grammar teaching. It is quite boring and inefficient just to teach grammar rules. Invent some situation, which we call "context", and let the students understand the usage and grammar rules by inference or analysis by themselves. That proves to be the better way.
As we can see, context is the key to the understanding of language. But what's the key to "context"? The answer is "find the clue". The "clue" is the thread that leads you safely through danger. So students can learn how to obtain the meanings of the unknown words through recognizing and apply-ing context clues. And what's the best way to "get the clue"? The answer is "inference". Inference is the most common and efficient way to find the contextual clue. Sometimes a word or phrase is not immediately clarified within the same sentence.
Relationships, which are not directly apparent, are inferred or implied. The reader must look for clues within, before, and after the sentence in which the word is used. Here are some examples:
1. He was on the carpet for not finishing his essay on Baldacci.
.Definition: on the carpet means in trouble.
.Explanation: Because he had not finished his essay on time, he was going to be in trouble.
.context clue: Inference (The words not finishing infer getting into trouble)
2. She was now the assistant cook in the house.
.Explanation: Because if the family is rich, assistant cook is needed but he must work in a mansion instead of a house, whereas, if it is ordinary family, assistant cook is not necessary at all. So the house here has a particular meaning like "restaurant" / "tea house" etc.
.Context clue: Inference (The words "assistant cook" infer that the house can not be the one in common sense).