Tips for learning English vocabulary

Learning lots of new vocabulary is central to becoming great at communicating in English but, as most of you are probably aware, it can also be a rather boring experience. This article explores ways to make learning new words a bit more fun, and will hopefully help you master the language faster.

Every person is unique, and people learn in different ways. Try some of the methods below, and stick to the ones which you find most fun or effective. Or use a variety of methods to help keep boredom away!

Before we begin, it's worth noting that students can learn vocabulary in two ways:
1. “Incidentally”. This means learning either consciously or unconsciously, using 'context clues' when we are reading or listening to a language
2. “Direct Study”. This refers to deliberate attempts to learn new words.
This article will focus on direct study, which is by far the most effective of the two.

Which words to learn?

You can't learn every word you hear or read every day. So, which ones are important?

• learn the words that are important to the subject you are studying, or the industry in which you're working.
• learn those words that you keep reading or hearing again and again. 
• don't learn too many words that are uncommon or not useful.

Top 4 Learning methods:

1. Look, Cover, Guess, Check

This is how most children are taught to learn vocabulary. You could try to make it less tedious by using different colours. For example make up a page like this, using alternating coloured lines down the page to make sure each line stands out:
meja    =  table
kulkas  =  fridge
mobil   =  car
pohon   =  tree
Then cover up all of the English words with a piece of paper. Slide the paper down the page as you translate each word. Now repeat, but this time covering the Indonesian side of the page.

2. Sticky notes (Post-Its)

Find as many words or phrases as possible that you would like to learn. Write each one on a sticky note, and also try to draw a picture if you can (which helps to create visual associations in your brain). Stick your notes around your house or office, in places that you'll see very regularly (on doors, near light-switches, on the telephone, next to your computer, or even on the cookie jar). Every time you see one of your notes, say it out loud. Every time. Then after a few days change all the notes. This can be an amazingly effective learning strategy for some people.

3. Flash Cards

A favourite among many language learners, these small blank coloured cards are sometimes held together on a ring. You write the English word on one side of each card, and the Indonesian word on the other. Make a pile of hundreds of words and phrases if you like. There are lots of ways of using the cards, including this strategy:

1. Make a pile of around fifteen cards, with the English words facing upwards
2. Pick up the first card and guess its Indonesian meaning.
3. Check if you are correct. If you get it right, put it in one pile (the correct pile). If you are wrong, put it back at the bottom of the main pile.
4. Keep going until all of your cards are in the 'correct pile'.

This is a very positive way to learn words.  You are either correct, or you keep trying again until you are correct. You are never wrong!

4. Record Yourself

With audio recorders on almost every computer and mobile phone, this has become a very easy and convenient way of learning new vocabulary. Just record yourself saying the new English words, followed by the Indonesian meaning. You can use these like 'audio flash cards'; press pause after each word to give yourself time to guess the meaning.

What you should know about the words you learn

Learning the meaning of a new word is only the first step. You should also think about:

• spelling
• pronunciation
• inflection (the different noun, verb, adjective and adverb forms of the word) 
• collocation (i.e. what other words are often used with it)
• formal or informal (style and register)

Native speakers learn these things about words by listening to them and reading them over and over again. You should do the same!

One final Tip – Learn words at least twice!

If you sit down one day and learn ten new words, the chances are that you will have forgotten most of them after one week. That's because the word was only stored in your short-term memory. Try re-learning the words after around a week. This should be faster than the first time around, and will mean the words are stored in your long-term memory and we be available for you to use for years to come.