Learning new vocabulary is one of
the most challenging aspects about learning a new language. In order to keep
motivated, you should try to develop individual strategies.
Vocabulary building can be combined with a hobby. One of my personal hobbies,
for example, is drawing. As I very often do not have any idea of what I could
draw, my friends bought me a book providing words that should be drawn. When I
started using this book, I realized that I did not know most of the words. Words such as cravat, marching brass band or
curlers usually are not words that you learn at school or university. Still, you
may need those words in everyday life and you need to know them to approach a
higher level of English.
So, when you want to draw a word, first of all you need to understand what it means. Once you’ve looked it up, you can start drawing which will take you at least fifteen minutes. However, you won’t get bored or annoyed by spending so much time with one word only but will be entertained by drawing. That is the difference between studying words by heart and an individual strategy! Believe it or not, after drawing that word for fifteen minutes, it will be saved in your head forever.
Of course, it is not necessary to buy this book but you can also create your own list. Almost all words can be drawn either because the words stand for a thing anyway or because they can be drawn in a more abstract way. For example, fluctuate; it may be hard to find a way to draw ‘fluctuate’. However, once you have found out how you can do it, the picture of ‘fluctuate’ stays in your mind.
Another positive aspect that comes with drawing words is that revising vocabulary is fun instead of boredom; it’s not that typical read-study-repeat feeling that you usually have when you study new words. Guessing or at some point recognizing a word through a picture is more of a game instead of an exhausting piece of work.
However, this method is very time-consuming. It is probably not the most accurate one when preparing for an exam. Nevertheless, it can be used for improving your English in your spare time when you want to relax and not think about work. With this strategy, relaxing and learning go together as your brain doesn’t even realize that it is learning. So, why not giving it a try?
If you are really motivated and have much time, you can still expand this strategy. For example, you could draw the antonyms on the backside.
In order to spend as little time as possible, I would suggest to mainly draw sketches using a pencil or coloured pencils.
So, when you want to draw a word, first of all you need to understand what it means. Once you’ve looked it up, you can start drawing which will take you at least fifteen minutes. However, you won’t get bored or annoyed by spending so much time with one word only but will be entertained by drawing. That is the difference between studying words by heart and an individual strategy! Believe it or not, after drawing that word for fifteen minutes, it will be saved in your head forever.
Of course, it is not necessary to buy this book but you can also create your own list. Almost all words can be drawn either because the words stand for a thing anyway or because they can be drawn in a more abstract way. For example, fluctuate; it may be hard to find a way to draw ‘fluctuate’. However, once you have found out how you can do it, the picture of ‘fluctuate’ stays in your mind.
Another positive aspect that comes with drawing words is that revising vocabulary is fun instead of boredom; it’s not that typical read-study-repeat feeling that you usually have when you study new words. Guessing or at some point recognizing a word through a picture is more of a game instead of an exhausting piece of work.
However, this method is very time-consuming. It is probably not the most accurate one when preparing for an exam. Nevertheless, it can be used for improving your English in your spare time when you want to relax and not think about work. With this strategy, relaxing and learning go together as your brain doesn’t even realize that it is learning. So, why not giving it a try?
If you are really motivated and have much time, you can still expand this strategy. For example, you could draw the antonyms on the backside.
In order to spend as little time as possible, I would suggest to mainly draw sketches using a pencil or coloured pencils.
This may sound simple and childish
to some people. But isn’t this exactly, how English books work? Regardless
which English school book you look into, you will always find texts that are illustrated
with pictures, photographs or sketches. Basic vocabulary in school is taught by
using pictures
The human brain works with pictures!
Mind that when learning!
