Cloze Activities Examples
For YOED 6020
Dr. Craig
By Erin Cathey
I have included two examples spun off of the same reading passage that I
compiled and adapted from the story of Helen Keller. The first example is for content
vocabulary comprehension and understanding. The second one is an adaptation of
having removed every fifth or sixth word, depending on word placement, as a whole
reading comprehension activity. The first would be used to assess content vocabulary
knowledge and the second would assess whole story comprehension and some content
vocabulary as well.
Source: Keller, H. (2011). The story of my life. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/MyLife/book.asp?ch=HK-toc
Helen Keller Content Vocabulary Cloze Activity
Helen Keller was born a normal and healthy baby. But when she was almost two
years old, she developed an unknown _________ that caused a fever. The fever
disappeared but the sickness left her ______ and _______. Because she couldn’t hear,
Helen couldn’t communicate with other people and this made her angry and full of
___________. She became wild and would have ___________ every time she didn’t get
what she wanted. Helen’s parents, Captain Keller and Kate, needed some ___________
to help them learn to live with her disabilities. They decided to write a letter to The
Perkins Institution, School for the Blind, to see if they might have a teacher who could
help Helen _________ her _________. The school sent 20 year old Anne Sullivan
because of her _____________ at the Institution. This was to be Anne’s lifelong
___________ as she stayed at Helen’s side as her teacher and friend for the rest of her
life. Anne taught Helen how to _________ her __________ by teaching her how to
communicate using a special manual alphabet. Helen had great _________ and was the
first ______ and ________ person to graduate from college. It was a difficult job
teaching Helen, but Anne showed extreme _________ by never giving up on Helen’s
ability to learn.
Source: Keller, H. (2011). The story of my life. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/MyLife/book.asp?ch=HK-toc
Name: _______________________________________
Word
Response
Substitution
illness
deaf
blind
frustration
temper tantrums
guidance
overcome
obstacles
achievements
challenge
overcome
handicaps
success
deaf
blind
resilience
The teacher should discuss uses of alternate words chosen by the students as well as…
1. What is another word for illness used in the text?
2. What is another word for handicaps used in the text?
Source: Keller, H. (2011). The story of my life. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/MyLife/book.asp?ch=HK-toc
Helen Keller Cloze Reading Activity
Helen Keller was born ______ normal and healthy baby. ______ she was almost
two ______ old, she developed an ______ that caused a fever. The ______ disappeared
but the ______ left her deaf and ______. Because she couldn’t hear, ______ couldn’t
communicate with other ______ and this made her ______ and full of frustration.
______ became wild and would ______ temper tantrums every time she ______ get what
she wanted. ______ parents, Captain Keller and Kate, ______ some guidance to help
______ learn to live with her ______. They decided to write a ______ to The Perkins
Institution, ______ for the Blind, to ______ if they might have a ______ who could help
Helen ______ her obstacles. The school ______ 20 year old Anne Sullivan ______ of
her achievements at the ______. This was to be ______ lifelong challenge as she ______
at Helen’s side as her ______ and friend for the ______ of her life. Anne ______ Helen
how to overcome ______ handicaps by teaching her ______ to communicate using a
______ manual alphabet. Helen had great ______ and was the first ______ and blind
person to ______ from college. It was a ______ job teaching Helen, but Anne ______
extreme resilience by never ______ up on Helen’s ability to ______.
Source: Keller, H. (2011). The story of my life. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/MyLife/book.asp?ch=HK-toc
Name: _____________________________
Word
Response
a
When
years
illness
fever
sickness
blind
Helen
people
angry
she
have
didn’t
Helen’s
needed
them
disabilities
letter
school
see
teacher
overcome
sent
because
Institution
Anne’s
stayed
teacher
rest
taught
her
how
special
success
deaf
graduate
difficult
showed
giving
learn
Source: Keller, H. (2011). The story of my life. Retrieved from
http://www.afb.org/MyLife/book.asp?ch=HK-toc
Substitution