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Instructional Strategy

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INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGY

Vocabulary Cloze

Grade:

K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12

Type:

Acquire Vocabulary
/ Develop Language (MLL)
< 20

Minutes

When:

Before reading

Materials:

Pre-made vocabulary cloze sentences, preselected vocabulary words, whiteboard or display, writing utensil
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Description

Fountain pen drawing a straight line on white paper, close-up view.
© alephx01—E+/Getty Images
The Vocabulary Cloze strategy focuses on new vocabulary acquisition. Students fill in the missing keyword that has been omitted from a sentence. This method encourages students to use context clues from the surrounding text to deduce the missing word or phrase. The expected outcomes are enhanced comprehension skills, expanded vocabulary, and improved language proficiency.
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Procedure

1
Create a list of new vocabulary words to introduce, adjusting the number depending on the students’ age and grade level—typically two to six words.
2
Display a “cloze” sentence for each vocabulary word, leaving a blank line for the missing word.
Example Cloze Sentences for a Lesson Mini on Animal Traits
1.
Many people have a (pet) at home, like a dog or a cat.
2.
My dog wags her (tail) when she is happy.
3.
A hamster has long (whiskers) on its face.
4.
This rabbit is soft because of its (fur).
5.
A bird flaps its (wings) to fly.
6.
We need to clean the mud off the dog’s (paws) after playing outside.
3
Read the first cloze sentence aloud while students follow along. Invite students to suggest possible words to fill in the blank, recording their suggestions on the board.
4
Once ideas are exhausted, reread the sentence, inserting each suggested word one at a time. Encourage students to discuss with a partner which word best fits based on sentence or context clues.
5
Invite volunteers to share the words they feel best fit and explain their reasoning. After discussion, ask the class to vote on or agree on the word that best fits the sentence.
6
Reveal the correct vocabulary word to the class, noting whether it was among the brainstormed suggestions. Acknowledge contributions from students and how their suggestions can create viable sentences with different meanings. Highlight the context clues in the sentence that support the correct answer and discuss them as a class. Repeat the process for each cloze sentence.
7
After completing all sentences, discuss the meaning of each new vocabulary word with the class.
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Differentiation

Varied Context Clues: Create cloze sentences with varying context clues, from direct to abstract. Direct clues can make it easier for younger audiences to grasp the word’s meaning. For a greater challenge, use sentences with minimal or complex clues, like synonyms or antonyms, that require deeper inferential thinking. This method deepens students’ engagement with the text by demanding they use their broader linguistic and cultural knowledge. It also improves their vocabulary comprehension and critical thinking skills.

Multilingual Learning Support

Beginning Proficiency: Support the vocabulary cloze process by providing visual representations of target vocabulary in both English and students’ home language. Create picture cards that pair with each cloze sentence, and include L1 translations of key contextual words. Offer sentence frames, such as “I think the word is…” and “This makes sense because…,” in both languages. During discussions, allow students to first explain their thinking in their home language before bridging to English.
Intermediate Proficiency: Design vocabulary cloze activities that incorporate both everyday and academic language variations. Provide students with word banks that show relationships between familiar and more sophisticated vocabulary (e.g., big/enormous, small/minute). Create semantic maps that help students visualize word relationships and alternative word choices. Include sentence stems that encourage students to explain their word choices using increasingly academic language (e.g., “Based on the context…” / “This word fits because…”).
Advanced Proficiency: Guide students in analyzing subtle differences between similar word choices. For younger students, focus on precise descriptive vocabulary, like scamper versus run, or whisper versus speak. For older students, incorporate more complex vocabulary distinctions, such as hypothesize versus guess, or validate versus check. Include opportunities for students to discuss connotation and register of different word choices.
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Variations

Interactive Story Cloze: Instead of individual sentences, write or use a short narrative incorporating multiple vocabulary words as blanks, rather than isolated sentences. This approach enhances contextual learning, improves comprehension, and increases student engagement by presenting words in a meaningful and interesting format. It also promotes critical thinking and language fluency while providing multiple exposures to target vocabulary within a single, adaptable activity.
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