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Date Posted: 21:50:45 05/22/07 Tue
Author: Andréa Faria (Process analysis essay)
Subject: Task 3

How to improve your vocabulary

“Words are explosive. Phrases are packed with TNT. (…) Words have changed the direction of history. Words can also change the direction of your life.” This is what Wilfred Funk and Norman Lewis state at the beginning of their bestseller 30 days to a more powerful vocabulary, aimed at helping native speakers of English to expand their word power. If improving one’s vocabulary is a concern for native speakers, working on vocabulary acquisition - although learning a language involves a great deal more than that - is of paramount importance for those who want to improve their command of a foreign language. And if we are thinking about a good mastery of English, the task can be quite challenging. Due to the vast lexicon and rich dynamism of English, no matter how advanced learners we are, there will always be a wide number of new words and expressions to learn. Some people find it quite easy and natural to acquire new words and incorporate them to their productive vocabulary by investing on reading and trying to apply their new knowledge. Others, on the other hand, have to work hard and consciously to make even the slightest progress. For those who feel they fit in the latter group, there are some good tips and procedures to follow if they want to meet the challenge. All that you need is love of words, an intelligent approach, and a little time and disposition to practise and revise what you intend to learn.

The first step we need to take is to start looking at words intently and with curiosity. It is hard to feel you need to learn something if it means nothing or seems useless to you. Unless you think something is worth learning, there is no point in even beginning to work on it. Conversely, when you think something is important or useful to you, your chances of learning it increase considerably. Therefore, be selective and reasonable. Think about your objectives and decide what items are important for you to acquire. We are constantly coming across a huge number of new words in spoken and written texts, but it would be too burdening and impossible to try to learn all of them. Focus on higher frequency words you are bound to need and use. Then, set a sensible goal for yourself - such as studying five new words or for fifteen minutes a day - and work consciously and seriously to keep it.

The second step is to develop an intelligent plan or approach. Learners working on their own generally like keeping vocabulary notebooks and studying lists of words. However, these may not be efficient ways of learning, practising and revising new vocabulary for everyone. If you need to get started, working with small cards – about 5 x 4 cm – may be more efficient and fun. Though it requires some preparation and organization, it seems to be one of the best methods for increasing and keeping track of your vocabulary. First of all, choose the item you want to learn and write it on a card, in the top left-hand corner, so that you can file your cards once their items are acquired. Secondly, on the same side, write the pronunciation of the word and its part of speech, adding other pieces of information you find useful. On the reverse side write the translation and / or definition, in English, according to the meaning of the word in the context it is in. Use simple drawings whenever possible to illustrate the word or expression. This is said to help us remember words better. After that, write the sentence in which you heard or read the word or make a new sentence with it, to help you associate the word with a context and meaning. When you do this, however, use a symbol, such as ~, for the word or expression, so that you can use the card to test your productive knowledge, as we will see in the next step. You card will look similar to this:

One side:
GO HALVES (pronunciation in phonetic symbols)
Expression

Reverse side:
“rachar a despesa”
to divide the cost of something with someone
Eg.: When the bill arrived, we decided to ~

The third step involves practising and revising on a regular basis. You may work, for instance, from 15 to 30 minutes a day, depending on how much time you have available. Set aside part of this time to enlarge your list of new words and the rest of the time to practise the words already registered. First, work receptively, i.e. read the new words aloud and then try to guess their meaning. After that, read the example sentence and think of situations where you can use the word. If about 3 days later you are still unable to remember the meaning of the word, flag the card to remind you that the item is a difficult one and demands extra practice. After learning receptively, move on to productive learning by quizzing yourself: first read the definitions and examples and then try to recall the word it refers to. When you feel you have acquired the new items, file the cards in alphabetical order for periodic revision.

All this may seem a bit too complicated, but once you start you see how fun and exciting it is. The results are impressive if you work intently and regularly. Moreover, the sense of achievement can be so stimulating that you will soon feel addicted to the power of words. In the long run it saves you a lot of time and effort as you become increasingly more intimate with words. You will perceive the benefits of enjoying challenging oral and written texts with much more ease and confidence, needing to resort less and less to dictionaries and feeling better equipped to make guesses about new words you come across with.


References:

Funk, Wilfred & Lewis, Norman. 130 days to a more powerful vocabulary. New York: Pocket Books, 1971: 5.
Nation, I.S.P. Learning vocabulary in another language. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001: 303-310
Nation, I.S.P. Teaching and learning vocabulary. Boston: Heinle & Heinle, 1990: 126

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