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February 26, 2010

How To Improve Vocabulary When Reading

Some people improve their vocabulary with memory techniques.  Others, however, prefer a more natural, let-it-flow approach.  One way to achieve the latter is by being a voracious reader, while keeping in mind a few things.

1. Understand the context that a specific word is used and take a guess about its meaning.  The more you see the same term used in different settings, the clearer its proper use will become.  Yes, developing vocabulary by reading takes time.

2. Learn to identify prefixes, suffixes and root words in the language.  It will help you identify source words and in what ways they can be used.

3. Notice the syllable patterns in the language.  Depending on the language, syllable patterns can give you clues about both context and meaning.

4. With parallel sentences, examine the similarities (or differences) of the words used.  Notice how each is applied in relation to the rest of the sentences that use them and how each helps to convey meaning.

5. Read aloud.  In case of confusing sentences where you can’t guess at the meaning of words, try reading the surrounding passage aloud.  Intonation can have a bearing on what the sentence is trying to say.

6. Consult your language software.  In case you’re really stumped, then find answers from your primary learning material.   Sure, it breaks the flow of reading, but if you really need to use a good reference, don’t deny yourself.

Filed under: English Learning, Language Learning — Tags: , — @ 11:03 pm
December 13, 2009

How To Read Context Clues For Better Vocabulary Building

It’s a well-known fact.  Reading a lot helps build your vocabulary, especially when you’re learning a second language.  Of course, you have to be smart while you’re doing it – you can’t just passively go through text and hope that it sticks.

Because of that, you should always keep the guidelines of active reading in mind when you’re doing it to support your language software studies – read slowly, take time to understand what you’re reading and highlight items you want to recall.  When you come upon words or passages you can’t understand, look for context clues, rather than simply moving on and forgetting about it.

Most authors always include context hints about the meaning of potentially unclear passages, whether consciously or unconsciously.  Rather than take the literal interpretation, you can use those to come about the real meaning of a specific passage.

1. Definitions.  Some authors overtly include a definition to help the reader arrive at the actual meaning of potentially unclear terms.  Of course, it will likely be integrated into one of the succeeding statements, rather than laid out like in a dictionary.

2. Synonyms.  You can also look for parallel ideas that use a synonym to reinforce the passage.

3. Antonyms.  Similar to their use of synonyms, some authors will use the opposite of the word to clarify its meaning.

4. Descriptions.  Look for succeeding passages that describe the previous statement.

5. Summary.  In this one, the author shows examples that summarize what the unclear passage means.

6. Visual.  This one’s mostly done in reports and features, using visual elements such as pictures, charts and graphs to help you arrive at the intended meaning.

Filed under: Language Learning — Tags: , , , , — @ 10:59 pm
November 26, 2009

The Most Time-Consuming Part Of Language Learning

What’s the most time-consuming part of language learning?  While some will argue that it’s different for each person, there’s one area that almost all language learners inevitably spend (at one point or another) the bulk of their time on – memorizing vocabulary.

If you’re laden with a naturally-retentive memory, then you’re a lucky fellow.  That means you can remember a greater number of things in a shorter span of time, potentially saving you a whole lot of repetitive memorizing while building up your vocabulary.

For those not so lucky, here are a few techniques you can apply while you work with your language vocabulary software to help you suck those words in.

Associate new words with other vocabulary. If you’re slightly more advanced than a beginner, it’s helpful to link new words you learn to words you’ve previously learned in your studies.  This method serves a dual benefit: it becomes easier to remember the new word and you get a refresher on the old one.

Gender words. If you’re a guy, build a mental picture of a naked woman and associate all female words with her.  Everything else gets imagined being attached to an image of you. Reverse the process if you’re a girl.  For languages with multiple genders, just add extra images.

Regularly test yourself. Use software-based vocabulary exams and flash cards to regularly test yourself on what you learned.  This will help retention immensely by building up your word associations.

Learn words in context. This is probably the longest-running, most doled-out vocabulary advice for one reason: it works.  Learn words in groups according to context and associations will naturally build themselves.

Read a lot. Reading, put simply, beefs up vocabulary without any extra effort.  The act of seeing words used in different contexts allows associations to form on their own.

Filed under: Language Learning — Tags: , , — @ 10:48 pm
November 11, 2009

How To Track Your Vocabulary

Some language learners make it their goal to work on vocabulary building on a daily basis.  When you go about the same route, it’s very important to have a system so that you can track your progress.  After all, the less you use those words you’ve previously learned, the less likely you’ll be able to retain them for future use.

The Notebook

Old-school language learners do this via the notebook route.  The problem in doing this should be obvious to anyone who grew up with computers – it’s tedious and it’s difficult to use.  Say you wrote down notes based on when you learned them.  Three months in and you realized how much easier it is to recall vocabulary when you group them according to use.  Will you really redo three months work of vocabulary notes?

Software-Based

Naturally, software-based solutions now dominate the work involved for students looking to build their vocabulary, the same way that software-based language learning has taken the reins from most other instruction mediums.  It’s easy to see why – the above issue with traditional-style note taking won’t even be a problem if you use a software in its place.

More than solving organization issues, though, many new software integrate even more advanced features.  This new category of software, which some are calling “make your own dictionary,” lets you input new words you learn, according to groupings that make sense to you.  Going beyond that, they can generate quizzes, cheat sheets and flash cards on the fly, allowing you to test yourself anytime you feel up to it.

Filed under: Language Learning, Language Learning Software, Language Program, Language Software — Tags: , , , — @ 9:55 pm

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