Which strategy is most effective for teaching the unfamiliar word "indefensible" to fourth-grade students?

Modeling how to apply knowledge of morphology to construct the word's meaning and using context to confirm it is an effective strategy for teaching the unfamiliar word "indefensible" to fourth-grade students for several reasons.

First, understanding morphology—the study of the structure and form of words—allows students to break down "indefensible" into its root word "defense" and the prefix "in-," which conveys negation. This helps students grasp that "indefensible" means something that cannot be defended. This morphological insight is crucial at the fourth-grade level, as students are developing their vocabulary and reading comprehension skills.

Additionally, incorporating context helps students relate the unfamiliar word to situations or passages they may encounter in their reading. Contextual clues can enhance retention and understanding, enabling students to infer the meaning based on how the word functions within a sentence rather than relying solely on memorization.

This combination of morphological analysis and context-based learning supports deeper comprehension by encouraging students to engage with new vocabulary, fostering critical thinking, and expanding their overall language skills. Ultimately, this approach aligns well with effective vocabulary instruction principles, making it the optimal choice for teaching the word "indefensible" to fourth graders.