Many are frightened by the idea of learning new vocabulary because they assume that it only involves a mechanical act of memorization, but fortunately this is far from the case. Whether you want to learn another language or improve your mother tongue, there are a variety of tools you can use to help you absorb new words, rather than memorize them. Take advantage of the many tools available and practice with them frequently!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Create Associations
Step 1. Create word associations
If you are learning another language, associate the new words with others in your language. If a new word resembles another in your native language, create a mental image that associates them.
- For example, the French word "vin" or wine, is very similar to the Spanish word "van", from the verb to go, so you could make a visual association of several people who are going to buy wine to help you remember.
- Associations are also useful if you want to learn a new word in your own language. For example, "cut", which means to divide something with a sharp tool, is similar to "curtain", so you could make the mental association of curtains too short in order to remember to "cut".
- When making word associations, be sure to visualize the image vividly and review it in your mind several times a day; in this way the association will be engraved in your memory.
Step 2. Use mnemonics
It is a variant of the "similar word association" technique that uses patterns to aid memory.
For example, you can divide the word "disaster," which means "an unfortunate event," into a pattern of images based on the series of letters that make up the word. Thus, you could divide "disaster" into "de" + "tailor" and then visualize tailor scissors falling on someone's foot, while exclaiming "What a disaster!"
Step 3. Be as creative as you can
Odd or bizarre things are often easier to remember than banal things, so get creative with your associations.
For example, the word "banal" means "something trivial or common", so to help you remember the definition you could imagine a banana peel (because the beginning of "banal" resembles that of "banana") floating in a channel. (because "canal" rhymes with "banal"). A banana peel floating in a gutter is a vivid enough image for you to remember, but it also captures the idea of something banal, allowing you to associate the word with the definition of something trivial or common
Part 2 of 3: Establish an Interactive Learning Environment
Step 1. Integrate the new words into your environment
Stick on sticky notes or arrange large pieces of paper in places you frequent, like the bathroom or kitchen. Write new words with their definitions on the papers as you find them. This way, you will see them frequently while doing your usual tasks.
- Include a written definition next to the word if you have a hard time remembering it.
- You can also make a small picture that describes the meaning of the word and paste it next to it to help you establish the association.
Step 2. Include the new words in your life. To help you establish strong and relevant associations, use the new words to write sentences about topics that are relevant in your life
For example, if you want to learn how to use the word "cerulean," a definition for the color dark blue, include it in several sentences that relate to your current situation or environment: "My new shampoo bottle is cerulean. surprising "or" This summer, the sky has taken on a particularly vivid cerulean color. "
Step 3. Make learning a game
The more fun you make the time you spend learning vocabulary, the more likely you are to remain motivated and get the most out of it.
- Find games to learn vocabulary online. To see some examples of applications for tablets and smartphones go here. Find a list of internet browser-based games here. If you want to read an overview of various program options for learning vocabulary, visit this site.
- If you prefer a game that you can play offline, go to EdHelper’s Board Game Generator or play this word bingo.
Step 4. Make a visual record of your work
This technique will be particularly useful if you are a visual learner.
- Start a journal or vocabulary book and write down the new words and their definitions. Write them down as often as necessary to burn them in your memory.
- Write stories that include your new words. You can write stories that incorporate the new words into the narrative, or you could challenge yourself to write a story using only the new vocabulary.
- Draw pictures that describe the meaning of the words in your vocabulary to attach to their definitions. Create a storyboard if you want to express yourself artistically.
Part 3 of 3: Practice, Practice, Practice
Step 1. Find out which methods are the most appropriate for you
You may have to try several different learning techniques before you find the one that is right for you.
Step 2. Practice with flashcards
Flashcards, one of the most renowned techniques, remain a powerful tool for practicing vocabulary.
- Write each new word you learn on the front of a small card or on a piece of paper, then write its definition on the back.
- Review the cards several times a day and try to remember the definition of each word before reading it on the back.
- There are a wide variety of card applications available for both tablets and smartphones; These will help you to make the use of cards even more portable and accessible. For a short list of Android apps, visit this site or go to this site for a list of Apple apps.
Step 3. Get exposed to new words
Read texts that have the vocabulary level you want to achieve in the language you are learning. Reading, searching, and writing new words right away is a great way to build and practice your vocabulary.
- If you want to raise your vocabulary in your native language, for example for a college subject, read academic articles and important publications.
- If you want to learn another language, read texts appropriate to your current level. If you are just starting your learning, read children's books to start laying the foundations of the language. If you are at an intermediate level, read books for teenagers or young adults, and so on.
- Read a book you know in your native language translated into the one you are learning. This could be a fun and effective way to practice your vocabulary and language skills.
Step 4. Examine yourself
Taking frequent vocabulary tests will help you work on those words that are particularly difficult for you.
There are several websites where you can find online vocabulary tests to practice. Some like this allow you to select your level, the length of the test and the vocabulary category; others like this allow you to create custom tests with the specific list of words you provide
Step 5. Use the new words as often as you can
Use the new words in your daily conversations, in what you write, and in any other opportunity you get.
The more you use the new words, the more you will understand and remember them
Advice
- Accept your limits. Limit yourself to a maximum of 10 new words a day; consider the perfect amount for optimal retention to be between 3 and 4.
- Pay attention to prefixes and suffixes. By learning these common components, you can remember and even deduce the meaning of other words that carry the same prefix or suffix.
- Study phrases rather than single words. If you are studying another language, learning common phrases is a great way not only to familiarize yourself with the most commonly used constructions, but also to remember everyday phrases. That way, when you want to say something, you will have at your disposal a reserve of common phrases and not just single words.
- Repetition is crucial. Repeated exposure to new words, whether it's through papers posted around your home or through frequent tests, is vital to learning them.