Have you ever had a word (or more than one word) that you can't remember, no matter how hard you try? When I was learning Spanish, I swear it took me at least a year to remember the difference between suelo and techo. No kidding. (You can imagine how embarrassing that is when you're in a hotel.)
What do you do if there's a word you just can't remember?
1. Go to your desk and get a Post-It note and a big red pen.
2. Write down the word and its definition in English (NO TRANSLATIONS!!).
3. Put that Post-It note in a place where you have to look at it all the time. Put it on the screen of your laptop computer or on your phone. Stick it on your bathroom mirror or on the door of your refrigerator.
4. Every time you see the word, repeat it three times.
5. Do NOT remove the Post-It note until you are absolutely sure you know the word, what it means and how to pronounce it.
A typical person needs to see and use a word eight to ten times before he or she can remember what it means. The more times you see and use a word you have trouble remembering, the easier it is to use the word in the future.
Try it!
No comments:
Post a Comment