Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

LESSON 11.1
Context
Table of Contents

Introduction 1

Objectives 2

DepEd Competency 2

Warm-Up 2

Learn about It 3
What is Context? 4
Components of Context 4

Key Points 6

Check Your Understanding 6

Let’s Step Up! 8

Photo Credits 8

Bibliography 8
 Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Lesson 11.1
Context

Fig. 1. “Separate text from context and all that remains is a con.”
― Stewart Stafford

Introduction
Have you experienced reading a series of novels without starting from the first book? Were
you able to follow the story? Context is an important factor in text development, and this
lesson will help you read and understand a text better.

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 Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Objectives
In this lesson, you should be able to do the following:
● Define context.
● Explain the significance of context in reading.

DepEd Competency
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to identify the context in which a
text was developed. (EN11/12RWS-IVac-9)

Warm-Up

What Happened Here?

Fig. 1. Thinking is exercise for the brain.

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 Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Procedure
1. With a partner, study the picture below:

2. Think of three possible scenarios that may have started this situation.
3. Afterward, write a short paragraph describing the reason for this scenario.
4. Share your work in class. Then, discuss your answer to the guide questions.

Guide Questions
1. Did you understand the photo as it is?
2. How did you come up with the reasons why the portrayed scenario happened?

Learn about It

Vocabulary
compel (verb) to force something or someone

genre (noun) type or category

contemporary
having the characteristics of the present period
(adjective)

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Essential Question
How does context help with understanding a text better?

What is Context?
Context is the circumstances that give an idea about an event, statement, or written
material so that it can be fully understood. Such circumstances, which can be cultural,
historical, political, social, or economic events, shape or influence a writer in writing his or
her work.

For instance, a personal narrative entitled “How I Spent My Summer Vacation” was likely
written to relate the writer’s summer experience. With this purpose in mind, the writer
narrates the experience in relation to his or her context: where and how he or she usually
spends the summer and with whom, what is summer like where he or she lives and how
other people there spend the summer, and what prompted him or her to spend the
summer that way.

Components of Context
Depending on the type of text, the context can include the following components:
1. Subject
This is the main topic of the author’s work. It can be anything under the sun: culture,
history, politics, society, economy, religion, current events, etc.
2. Purpose
This is the author’s reason for writing. It can be one of the following:
a. To narrate a story
b. To compare and contrast ideas
c. To review or evaluate a work
d. To explain an idea or concept
e. To explore and investigate an issue

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 Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

f. To argue a point
g. To persuade the audience
3. Audience
The tone, style, diction, organization, and content of the author’s work depend on his
or her target audience or readers.
4. Occasion or Situation
This may compel the writer to write, especially if it is significant or relevant to him or
her personally. It can be his or her personal motivation to choose what to write about
and how to write it.

Below are some questions that you can ask about the text that you are reading to
examine or understand its context.

1. When was the text written? What was society like back then?
2. Where was the text written? How did the place influence the author’s writing?
3. What were the political, social, cultural, economic, or even religious influences
in the author’s life that are reflected in his or her writing?
4. What were the influences of the genre and the author’s contemporaries in his
or her work?

Let’s Check In
What are the components of context?

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Key Points

● Context refers to the conditions around an event, a remark, or written material that
allow it to be completely comprehended.
● Subject, purpose, audience, and occasion or situation are the components of
context.

Check Your Understanding

Identify what is described in the following.

1. It refers to the conditions that provide a complete understanding of an event,

statement, or written content.
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. It is the author's major focus in his or her work.
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. This is why the author decided to write.
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. The author's tone, style, language, arrangement, and substance are all influenced
by his or her intended audience or readers.
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. This may push the writer to write, especially if the topic is meaningful or personal
to him or her.
________________________________________________________________________________________

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 Reading and Writing Skills

Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Read the paragraph below and analyze its context. In your analysis,
define the subject, purpose, and audience of the text and determine the
situation in which the text is produced.

There are moments when owners misunderstand their cats. Owners need
to understand a cat's traits first before they adopt one. For instance, cats
are often seen as pets with low energy because they spend most of their
time lying around. However, cats are also supposed to do hunting and
hiding as it is a part of their natural traits. Owners should allow their cats
to have a chance to hunt by giving them a space to climb, scratch, and
play. Owners should also pay attention to what they feed their pets. It
should depend on the breed, size, and age of the cat. The texture of the
food should also matter because cats are after the smell and texture
rather than the taste of their food.

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Grade 11/12 • Unit 11: Development of a Text

Let’s Step Up!

With the same partner you had when you did the Warm Up! Activity, look for a
chapter from a novel that interests you. Make a table that shows the components of
context and fill it out using the chapter you chose. Present your work in class.

Photo Credits
Fig. 1. White printer paper on white table photo by Nadi Borodina is licensed under Unsplash
via Unsplash.

Fig 2. Green ceramics statue of a man photo by Kenny Eliason is licensed under Unsplash via
Unsplash.

Bibliography
Context (n.d). SuperSummary. Accessed May 20, 2022.
https://www.supersummary.com/context/

Heckman, Chris. (2021). “What is Context — Definition and Examples for Writers”.
StudioBinder. Accessed May 20, 2022.
https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-context-definition/