How to memorize vocabularies

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wentao
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Jul 28, 2004 10:55 am
Location: Gaozhou, Guangdong, China

How to memorize vocabularies

Post by wentao » Wed Jul 28, 2004 11:37 am

It's really hard for the learners from non-Enlish-speaking countries to memorize the vocabularies.What can you suggest?

revel
Posts: 533
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 8:21 am

Not memorizing!

Post by revel » Wed Jul 28, 2004 5:47 pm

Hey there!

I would definitely suggest not memorizing vocabulary at all! What good is a list of memorized words? Is the objective to become a living dictionary? Or is it to pass a test?

I understand that you probably have to use such a method because of whatever book you must use in the class or test the kids will have to take. To make those theme-oriented vocabulary lists easier to remember, I suppose creating contextual sentences with current grammar points might help. I once taught four ten-year-olds all of the most important irregular verbs in the past in eleven hours with contextual sentences. That list is often learned by heart here but my kids not only could rapidly put the verb in the past, they also could give an example of its use and knew what it meant.

Words are not lonely entities out there without support. In lists they are out of their natural habitats. Put them into sentences or conversations.

peace,
revel.

woodcutter
Posts: 1303
Joined: Sat Jun 19, 2004 6:14 am
Location: London

time killer lists

Post by woodcutter » Thu Jul 29, 2004 1:51 am

Good advice from Mr.Revel, but if you make a suitable list, such as a list of animals, or foods, why not carry it around in your back pocket? Take it out when the bus is late, or you are stood up at the restaurant, and do some chanting. That's the kind of silly thing I do anyway, and at least it prevents some boredom now and again.

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