Learning vocabulary in English is hard. Firstly, there are just so many words to remember. And secondly, it's just so easy to forget them after you have learned them.
Why is it so easy to forget things?
Basically, some scientists figured out that our memory works something like this.
As you can see from the graph, information that is learned begins to disappear from memory very quickly.
This shows that without practice and revision, it will be difficult to use new vocabulary effectively in the future.
Interestingly, the idea of 'cramming' (i.e. studying frantically just before an exam), was also shown not to be as effective as you expected. Just look at the 20-minute to 1-hour mark on the graph.
So what are the implications for learners?
It is obvious that practice and revision is necessary in order to learn things. But what scientists found is that it is possible to maintain an 80-90% memory retention using a method called 'spaced repetition'.
In short, spaced repetition says:
you need to review information several times over a period of time (e.g. 6 times in 60 days)
the time between each review should get longer and longer (around double in length)
the actual number of times to review something and the time between each review should be different for each learner (we are all different after all)
So what does this look like?
From this graph, when we begin to review learned information, memory retention increases with each review. On the 6th reminder (not shown), the baseline memory retention should be around 80%, which makes for an ideal level for remembering new vocabulary.
How do you remember to review new vocabulary on these specific days?
If you're learning a language in a school environment, then often a teacher will take care of the first few days. It could look something like this:
Day 1: homework from the first day and then checking it in class the next day
Day 3: a game or speaking activity to practice what you have learned so far this week
Day 7: a weekly test (often course books run in a unit per week cycle)
The problem is what do learners do after 7 days? In a school environment, teachers will move on to the next unit of a course book to begin teaching new material. Teachers will often have very little time to talk about information in previous units. So it is up to the learner to continue to review information on day 14, 30 and 60 (or thereabouts).
Practical Applications of Spaced Repetition
There are several methods you can use to help remember vocabulary using spaced repetition. Each method has its own advantages and disadvantages and you'll need to find the one that works best for you.
1. Traditional Flash Cards
These are as simple as you can get. You write a question or a translation on one side, and the answer on the other side - and then you test yourself.
To include spaced repetition, you do have to consider how difficult it was for you to remember the answer. If the answer came to you very quickly, then move that card to another deck that you will use less often. You may need up to 5 different decks of cards based on how well you know the word, which will determine how often you use those cards. This would look something like this:
Pros:
+ very cheap to use
+ very easy to make
Cons:
- can be troublesome to carry around when you have a lot of cards
- very low motivation factor in the long term
2. Flash Cards around the Home
This is a modified version of traditional flash cards. In this case, you only need around 7 flash cards per week and you are going to put them up in places around your home that you frequently visit and use. See the images below for some inspiration.
The flash cards should be used in the same way as in the first method. You can either write a question or a translation on one side, and the answer on the other side. These cards need to be swapped out each week with 7 new vocabulary items.
Pros:
+ very cheap to make
+ very easy to make
+ you don't need to carry them around
Cons:
- only involves days 1-7 of spaced repetition
- may be difficult to use if you share accommodation with (many) other people
3. Digital Flash Card Apps
Thanks to smartphone technology, we don't really need to use paper flash cards anymore. They are used in exactly the same way as the paper version (i.e. question on one side, answer on the other), but it's all digital.
Pros:
+ very easy to carry around
+ the app takes care of when and how often to test you
+ most apps are free (some have ads)
+ some apps allow you to share lists of vocabulary, or collaboratively make them
+ some apps allow you to search for other user's creations
Cons:
- creating digital flash cards is not as satisfying as creating paper ones
- many apps have ads (i.e. you need to pay to remove them)
- temptation to use your smartphone for other purposes
Conclusion
There are no shortcuts or magic tricks to learning a language. No matter how good the method is, you still need to put in hard work and be persistent.
For the busy people who work or study full-time and are learning a language, try to make learning as easy and convenient as possible.
"Don't make time to study - Use the time you already have doing nothing to study."
Digital flash cards are a great way to learn vocabulary and it is certainly the easiest way. But what does it mean to study when you are already doing nothing?
You can use your app (for as short as 3 minutes and for as long as you want) when:
you're waiting for your train or bus to work or university
travelling on public transport
waiting in a long queue at the bank, post office, supermarket
waiting for your friend who's always late
you're sitting on the toilet
Use your imagination - the possibilities are endless.
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