Fri, 16 Mar 2018 13:01:24 +0000Géralde Vincent-BancroftVocabulary is at the centre of language learning. Without it our communication remains very basic and we face frustration when unable to share our thoughts. Hence the countless methods available to help students reach their goal.
I will describe here simple yet effective methods to help you…
Vocabulary is at the centre of language learning. Without it our communication remains very basic and we face frustration when unable to share our thoughts. Hence the countless methods available to help students reach their goal.
I will describe here simple yet effective methods to help you increase your vocabulary pool in no time.
1- Identify your needs
if you know the reason why you’re studying the language, you will have a good head start because you will easily identify what you need to learn.
2- Study vocabulary by themes
Create a list of vocabulary by themes, for example travelling by plane. Find out as many related words as possible and find a short definition or description for each. Write an example sentence for each item; this will allow you to establish connections and it will be much more easier to memorise the new words.
3- Find synonyms and antonyms for every new words
As you know, a synonym is a word or phrase that means exactly or nearly the same as another word; and antonym is a word of opposite meaning to another. Finding one or two of each will help you enlarge further more your vocabulary on that specific subject.
4- make vocabulary trees
You can choose to learn “ bedroom items ” for example( bed, cupboards, drawers,curtains, windows, bedside lamps etc). You will memorise them easier because they are related and your brain will put them into context.
5- Create mind maps
Mind maps help you learn in a visual way. Of all the techniques mentioned so far, this one is a bit more complex. You might need to invest some time, but it’s extremely useful.
Start with a blank sheet of paper and group the vocabulary by theme; for example if you’re studying to go on a trip,you might want to consider the following subjects for your mind map.
* Greetings,
* Titles: Sir/madam/miss
* At the airport: checking, on the plane, asking for food, public transport.
* At the hotel: checking at the reception, asking for a room with particular characteristics etc
* Important phrases
You can expand on each category. There is no constraint to your imagination. Your mind will find ways to establish the connections.
6- learn collations
Collations are words that are usually used together.
for example: good+noun= good morning, good afternoon, good evening, good night, good boy. The aim is, as with the other techniques, to expand your vocabulary quickly.
7- Participate in active listening
Watch videos or movies. These are a great way to improve your listening skills by training your ears to understanding native speakers.
Divide the activity in small sections. Write down all the new vocabulary you encounter, You might as well go further by finding out their synonyms and antonyms as suggested in number 3.
Once the new vocabulary is found you might want to upload it in your spaced-repetition software to help you in the process of memorisation. You might as well do it the old fashion way, why not?
How do you find new vocabulary to learn? Feel free to post a comment below.
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