3 ways to become a vocabulary wiz

As you have learned, if you want to communicate effectively in another language you need to know more than a few words. Sometimes getting a list of 20-30 or more words to learn can seem daunting. Here a few tips to conquer the task and dominate your vocabulary this semester:

1. Flashcards

Old-fashioned, I know, but they work. Get a pack of index cards, put the Spanish on one side and the English on the other. To save money, cut your index cards in half so that you have double the amount to work with. Bonus tip: Use different colors for different parts of speech such as blue for nouns, green for verbs, yellow for adjectives, etc.

2. Quizlet

Once you’ve mastered your Flashcards, Spanish to English and English to Spanish check out quizlet.com. It’s a great site that allows you to digitally manipulate your vocabulary and play a wide range of brain games. Note: It may be tempting to skip making flashcards and start with Quizlet but studies have shown that writing things down by hand aids tremendously in retention.

3. Study groups

Take your vocabulary practice to the next level, meet up with a few of your classmates, and work together to practice using your vocabulary. You can make practice sentences, activities, and have conversations to practice using your vocabulary in context.

Cheers to your success!

~Dr. Cort