Do you ever struggle to remember English vocabulary words?
Do you find yourself forgetting them soon after you learn them?
In this video, Ben from “To the Point English with Ben” shares a simple technique to learn and remember English vocabulary words.
The Production Effect in Memory
Ben begins his video by testing viewers’ memory.
He shows eight numbers on the screen and gives viewers only five seconds to remember them. He then asks viewers what they did to try to remember the numbers.
Did they say the numbers out loud?
Ben shares that he found himself saying six-digit verification codes out loud and wondered if it helped him remember the codes. He researched this and found the Production Effect in Memory study.
This study shows that saying words and hearing ourselves saying those words improves our ability to remember them more than just reading them silently in our heads.
When we add an active measure or production element to a word, it becomes more distinct in our long-term memory, making it more memorable.
Being Active and Proactive in Learning Vocabulary
Ben emphasizes the importance of being active and proactive when learning English vocabulary words.
He acknowledges that it may be unrealistic to walk around all day saying words out loud.
However, he shares some simple and practical tips to incorporate in our daily routine to be more active in learning and remembering new vocabulary words:
- Read out loud: When reading, read out loud to actively reinforce the vocabulary words and solidify them in your long-term memory.
- Repeat the words: When watching YouTube videos or learning new vocabulary words, repeat the words and examples out loud to increase your chances of remembering them.
- Make an emotional connection: Write examples or short stories that connect with you emotionally, including family members or situations you connect with. Making an emotional connection with the words reinforces them in your long-term memory.
- Write your own examples or short stories: By writing your own examples or short stories, you practice both writing and speaking skills. Reading them out loud reinforces the vocabulary words and putting them in context helps you understand their meaning.
Demonstrate the usage of [Word/Phrase] in [Target Language] by constructing a sentence.
Conclusion
Learning and remembering English vocabulary words can be challenging, but by being active and proactive in our learning, we can increase our chances of remembering them long-term.
Incorporating simple techniques such as reading out loud, repeating words and examples, writing our own examples or short stories, and making an emotional connection with the words can help us learn and remember new vocabulary words effectively.
FAQ
Q: Does saying words out loud help us remember them better?
A: Yes, the Production Effect in Memory study shows that saying words and hearing ourselves say those words improves our ability to remember them more than just reading them silently in our heads.
Q: What can I do to actively learn and remember new vocabulary words?
A: You can read out loud, repeat words and examples out loud, write your own examples or short stories, and make an emotional connection with the words to actively learn and remember new vocabulary words.
Q: How long does it take to write my own examples or short stories with new vocabulary words?
A: It does not take long. Writing your own examples or short stories with new vocabulary words can take as little as 20 minutes. It does not have to be complicated, just simple with an emotional connection to help you remember the words.
