Today, I decided to try the context clues strategy to build my vocabulary. This strategy involves figuring out the meaning of unfamiliar words by analyzing the sentences or paragraphs in which they appear. I practiced this while reading an article about environmental conservation.
Words I Learned:
1. Biodiversity – Using context, I understood it referred to the variety of life in a particular habitat or ecosystem.
2. Sustainable – The sentence explained how sustainable practices minimize harm to the environment, which helped me grasp its meaning as something that can be maintained long-term without depleting resources.
3. Mitigation – In a discussion about climate change, the word referred to efforts to reduce or alleviate negative impacts.
Did it Work?
Yes, this strategy worked well for me! It encouraged me to engage deeply with the text and reinforced the meanings of the words. I also felt more confident encountering unfamiliar terms because I could deduce their meanings without immediately looking them up.
Reflection:
Using context clues is a practical way to build vocabulary while reading. I plan to continue practicing this and might pair it with creating flashcards to review new words later.