How to make vocabulary sticks

The role of vocabulary in achieving fluency To begin with, let’s find out how many words you need to learn if you want to understand most foreign-language speech, and to be able to express your thoughts. A 5-year-old native speaker child in an English speaking country uses 4,000 – 5,000 words. A university graduate in an English-speaking country uses around 20,000 words. However, a person who studies English as a foreign language, has a vocabulary of only approximately 5,000 words, even if they have studied English for a few years. But there is good news, too: a vocabulary of 2,000 words is enough to understand 80% of a foreign language. This is the conclusion of researchers after an analysis of the so-called Brown Corpus, a collection of texts on different topics so that scientists can have detailed examples of how language is used. It is interesting that after you learn 2,000 words, adding another 1,000 words only helps you understand merely 3–4% more of a foreign-language text.

Contextual learning Learning new words in context helps us understand their meaning and usage in real-life situations. To practice contextual learning, read books, articles, and other materials that interest you. Spaced repetition Spaced repetition is a technique that involves reviewing information at increasing intervals. This strategy helps to strengthen the memory and recall of new words. You can use apps like Anki or Quizlet to practice spaced repetition. Active recall Active recall involves retrieving information from memory. This strategy is particularly effective when combined with contextual learning and spaced repetition. To practice active recall, try using flashcards or testing yourself regularly. Mnemonic devices Mnemonic devices are memory aids that help us remember information by associating it with something else. For example, you could use a phrase like “My Very Eager Mother Just Served Us Nachos” to remember the order of the planets in our solar system. Try creating your own mnemonic devices to remember new vocabulary words.

So how many times do you have to repeat a word so that it moves from short-term memory into long-term memory? The German psychologist Herman Ebbinghaus developed a curve of forgetting. It reflects how we forget information over time if we do not repeat it. In the first 20 minutes after learning words, we will remember only 60%. Within an hour we will lose over 50% of the information. With time more and more information will be lost, and by the 3rd day, only 20% of information will remain in your memory. This way, if you skip even one day of reviewing your studies, you won’t be able to bring back the forgotten words. The conclusion is obvious: you must repeat words. Use the words in your everyday conversation, makeup stories using the new words, do flashcards on your smartphone at least a few minutes a day. All this will help you to remember the words you’ve learned. Otherwise, the time you have spent on learning them will be wasted. We suggest that you use the following schedule for reviewing the words you study: 10–15 minutes after learning new words; 50–60 minutes later; The next day; Two days later; Three days later. After this, most of the information will be saved for the rest of your life.

According to CHAT GPT The most effective ways to make new vocabulary stick include: 1. Repetition: Repeated exposure to the word helps reinforce your memory. 2. Contextual Learning: Learn words in the context of sentences or phrases to understand their usage. 3. Mnemonics: Create associations or mnemonic devices to remember difficult words. 4. Flashcards: Use flashcards to test your knowledge and review regularly. 5. Spaced Repetition: Space out your reviews of new words over time to improve retention. 6. Active Use: Try to use the new words in your conversations and writing. 7. Reading: Read extensively to encounter new words in various contexts. 8. Vocabulary Apps: Use language-learning apps that offer games and quizzes. 9. Keep a Vocabulary Journal: Write down new words, their meanings, and example sentences. 10. Engage in Language Learning Activities: Join language classes, practice with a language partner, or participate in language-related activities to reinforce your vocabulary. Remember that consistent practice and exposure to new words in different ways can significantly improve your vocabulary retention.