Meaning is determined when students search for and come upon a clear understanding of a word or a concept. When students are reading texts, they will often come upon unfamiliar words. If a dictionary is available in print or digital format, students can look up the unknown words to determine which of the meanings included in the dictionary entry applies best to the way the word is being used in the text. However, when dictionaries are not available, students should use different strategies to figure out the meaning of the unfamiliar word. For example, students may use their knowledge about word structures such as prefixes and suffixes, Greek and Latin roots, as well as synonyms and antonyms, to determine the meaning of the unknown word.

in speech or writing, the division of words into syllables

Students should use both print and digital resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, and diverse types of literary and academic books. Students are expected to learn the unique characteristics and capabilities of different types of resources. In some instances, print resources allow the development of note taking skills, whereas digital resources may be useful in expanding to a multimodal perspective that may involve photographs, videos, or music.

the initial place(s) and historical era(s) in which a word was derived and developed