Protect the flow of reading
Mark unfamiliar words as you go, but stop only when a word blocks the main idea. Review the other marked words at a natural pause or at the end of the section.
Keep a useful word record
For each word worth learning, record a short meaning, the sentence where you found it, and one sentence of your own.
- subtle
- not obvious
- resilient
- able to recover
- deteriorate
- become worse
Review by recalling, not rereading
Cover the meaning and try to explain the word from memory. Then use it in a fresh context. Effortful recall reveals what you actually know.
- Review a small set
- Space reviews over time
- Use words in new sentences