How to increase your vocabulary?

How to expand your vocabulary?

 → Start by learning practical vocabulary.  Learn words that are actually important to you at work, at home and out and about. 

→ Use stick it notes and label things around your home.

→ Use self-study vocabulary books, these should include a good dictionary, and a thesaurus.

→ Expose yourself to as much English as possible by reading, watching the TV, films or the news and listening to the radio or music.

→ Read an English magazine. If you can afford it take out a subscription to a magazine or newspaper.

→ Do online exercises. Keep a note of how you did and go back in a few weeks / months to see how you have improved.

→ Try to memorize whole sentences, not just individual words. When you have learnt a word, write about it in context.

→ Create or play word games. Scrabble, Crossword Puzzles, Hangman, and Dingthings are all great ways to play with words.

→ When you know you need to learn a particular word list for a test, start using the words immediately, use them in context and frequently. See if anyone is talking about those words online and comment on people's blogs or pages in Facebook, or on Google Plus.

→ Review, revise, review.  These are my 3 rs.  Review your word lists.  Revise the ones you keep getting stuck on.  Review the list ... ad infinitum.

No one said it was going to be easy, but unless you are studying to become an  Aerospace  engineer, it's not rocket science.

Notebooks

Keep a notebook to help you remember what you've learnt.

Here's a guide to keeping an English notebook.

Vocabulary webs

Build a vocabulary web to organise your vocabulary about certain subjects.

For example your personal life:-

and then extend it:-

and then extend it further...

Flash cards

Start a flash cards box.

Buy or cut out some cards all the same size.

Draw or cut out some pictures.

Paste the pictures onto one side of the card and write the correct word on the other side.

Put new words in the front of the box.

Test yourself using either the pictures, the words or both.

If you have forgotten a word bring it to the front of the box.

For more advanced vocabulary, write the word on one side and the dictionary definition on the other.

!On this site:- Use the vocabulary pages to learn new vocabulary thematically and in context.

!On this site:- You can use my on-line flash cards to practise your vocabulary.

Singing

Try learning the words to English songs, and even sing along with them. With friends or in the privacy of your own bathroom.

!On this site:- You can find some karaoke resources and ideas on the learn English through songs page.

!On the Network: You can find the words to some popular songs on the English magazine.

Which learning style works best for you?

To learn best, find out what type of learner you are :)   

UNDERSTANDING VARK

One of the most accepted understandings of learning styles is that student learning styles fall into three “categories:” Visual Learners, Auditory Learners and Kinesthetic Learners. These learning styles are found within educational theorist Neil Fleming’s VARK model of Student Learning. VARK is an acronym that refers to the four types of learning styles: Visual, Auditory, Reading/Writing Preference, and Kinesthetic. (The VARK model is also referred to as the VAK model, eliminating Reading/Writing as a category of preferential learning.) The VARK model acknowledges that students have different approaches to how they process information, referred to as “preferred learning modes.” The main ideas of VARK are outlined in Learning Styles Again: VARKing up the right tree! (Fleming & Baume, 2006)

• Students’ preferred learning modes have significant influence on their behavior and learning.
• Students’ preferred learning modes should be matched with appropriate learning strategies.
• Information that is accessed through students’ use of their modality preferences shows an increase in their levels of comprehension, motivation and metacognition.

Identifying your students as visual, auditory, reading/writing or kinesthetic learners, and aligning your overall curriculum with these learning styles, will prove to be beneficial for your entire classroom. Allowing students to access information in terms they are comfortable with will increase their academic confidence.

You can complete Fleming’s VARK Questionnaire to find out what kind of learner you are or simply refer to the following picture. 

VARK  Questionnaire:   http://www.vark-learn.com/english/page.asp?p=questionnaire

By understanding what kind of learner you and/or your students are, you can now gain a better perspective on how to implement these learning styles into your lesson plans and study techniques.

SWOT STRATEGIES

Referred to as SWOT (“Study Without Tears”), Flemings provides advice on how students can use their learning modalities and skills to their advantage when studying for an upcoming test or assignment.

Visual SWOT Strategies

• Utilize graphic organizers such as charts, graphs and diagrams.
• Redraw your pages from memory.
• Replace important words with symbols or initials.
• Highlight important key terms in corresponding colors.

Aural SWOT Strategies

• Record your summarized notes and listen to them on tape.
• Talk it out. Have a discussion with others to expand upon your understanding of a topic.
• Reread your notes and/or assignment out loud.
• Explain your notes to your peers/fellow “aural” learners.

Read/Write SWOT Strategies

• Write, write and rewrite your words and notes.
• Reword main ideas and principles to gain a deeper understanding.
• Organize diagrams, charts, and graphic organizers into statements.

Kinesthetic SWOT Strategies

• Use real life examples, applications and case studies in your summary to help with abstract concepts.
• Redo lab experiments or projects.
• Utilize pictures and photographs that illustrate your idea.

Tips To Help You Learn Effectively!

To be an effective learner, you need to ...


1 Figure out which learning styles work best for you. 

The basics are learning by seeing, doing, and hearing. Think back on something you remember well from class; was it a hands-on activity? Did the teacher give you a detailed essay? Were you given a handout? Once you know how you learn it can be done better. There are also tests available on the internet to determine your learning style.

2

Benefit by doing.

 Hands-on activities are great, as they stick in your memory and help you more:

• When you perform experiments in class, make sure that you concentrate.
• Actually write down notes, even when they're not required during a lecture. The more open your mind is, the faster information will stick.
• Alternatively, instead of taking notes, record the lecture on a mini-recorder and devote your attention to listening; use the recording to create notes afterwards. This extra step takes time, but makes use of what psychologists call the "dual-coding hypothesis", where you are more likely to learn something if you experience it in two different ways (i.e. listening and writing, in this case).

3

Rid yourself of distractions while learning. 

Cell phones, music, and your chatty partner distract you from your instructor. Sit in a suitable place, as classes are for concentrating, not talking to your friends. Keep valuables in a bag, or far away enough for them not to attract your attention.

4

Establish good relationships with your teachers. 

If you hate your teachers, then you will have a lot of trouble learning. Be polite and show respect, and put in some effort, and your teachers will hold a liking for you that will make classes more pleasant.

5

Set small goals for yourself.

 For example, take notes during class, and at the end of the week, see if you can write a short essay based on the material you've been learning. Before you begin a new unit, write down some questions on the topic, and at the end of each lesson, see how many of them you can answer. Each time you accomplish a goal, reward yourself by buying a CD or item of clothing, going out and having fun, or just taking a break.

6

Make things more interesting by figuring out a way to make classes more pleasant. Find ways to motivate yourself:

• Find something about the topic you are learning that interests you and focus on learning as much as you can about it. The more you want to learn, the more you will learn.
• Find a "study buddy" - that is, a friend or classmate to study with. Hold small tests/quizzes for each other, discuss things you don't understand or that interest you, or take notes together. Having someone's company can motivate you more.

7

See if you can summarize what you learned into a little notebook after class. Jot down a sentence or two that you can look back and recall the day with.

8

Ask for help if you're struggling. Many people don't do this. If you find you are struggling, know that almost all teachers want to help you catch up. See if your school has a resource room you could use during study halls or go directly to your teacher. Don't be shy to ask .

Some more tips for you to learn better!