Context clues strategy to enhance reading comprehension in EFL learners

Abstract

This research explored how the context clues strategy enhances reading comprehension in teenage English as a Foreign Language (EFL) learners. The study aimed to examine teachers’ perceptions of this strategy, focusing on its effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages in EFL Learners. A qualitative method was applied through one-on-one interviews with five English teachers experienced in using the context clues strategy. The results showed that teachers regard the strategy as effective in improving students’ comprehension. They observed that students became more confident and independent readers when they learned to deduce the meanings of unfamiliar words from the context, which also increased their vocabulary and fostered critical thinking. However, some disadvantages of this strategy were identified, such as students’ fear of making mistakes and their reliance on simple context clues, which limited their effective use of the strategy. The study concludes that the context clues strategy contributes significantly to the development of independent reading skills in students learning English as a foreign language when implemented with appropriate guidance and progressive teaching.