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(Download MP3, Mirror) Last week, we talked about how to start and organize your English Club. This week, we share ideas for effective and fun activities to do with your English Club.
The age and language level of your English club members will make a difference in what activities you should choose. For clubs with younger participants, more organized activities might work better. But for clubs with older members, informal meetings that encourage discussion are effective. It is important to know your club members and the kinds of interests they have.
Warm-up
Warm-up activities are good ways to start any club meeting. They help people relax and prepare them to start speaking English. Here are a few warm-up activities that can be used with any age or skill level.
Two truths and a lie
The first is called Two Truths and a Lie. This activity can be done in pairs, small groups, or the whole English club. One person comes up with three facts about themselves. Two of the facts are true, and one is a lie. They tell the group the three facts, and the group must decide which one is the lie. Each participant takes a turn with this activity.
Salad bowl
Another warm-up activity is Salad Bowl. For this activity, tell everyone to think of a person, place or thing and write it down on a piece of paper. Collect the pieces of paper and mix them around in a big bowl. Then, divide the club into two teams. Each team then takes turns having one person go to the front of the room to take a piece of paper. The person must then describe the word to other team members. As soon as a team member correctly guesses the word, the person then selects another word from the bowl. Each team has 30 seconds to guess as many words as possible.
Discussion questions
Finally, for groups that do not like activities, you can simply start a club meeting with a warm-up discussion question, or by sharing a word or quote of the day.
Primary Meeting Activities
After a warm-up activity, it is time to begin the main meeting activities. These may be organized activities or less formal ones.
Debates and discussion
Club debates or discussions are the most popular type of English club activity. They let people use English in a more natural way than in a classroom.
It helps to have a new discussion topic for each meeting. This helps keep conversations from being too repetitive. It also encourages club members to learn new vocabulary words.
Debates are good ways to keep participants interested. They create excitement, and make the speaker practice using new words. If your club has many members, it is a good idea to divide the group into several smaller groups. If possible, each of the small groups should be given a different discussion or debate subject.
Every 15 to 30 minutes, people can move on to the next subject.
You can encourage club members to come up with debate subjects for future meetings.
Guest speakers and presentations
You can also invite people to give presentations in English. They may be politicians, non-profit workers, teachers, police, and so on. Participants can ask the presenter questions. Your participants can also take turns giving presentations on subjects that are important to them, as well.
English-language songs and readings
Another fun club activity is to listen to popular songs in English. To make this more effective, you can provide the words of the song to the club members. Participants can then use the song’s message as a discussion topic. You can also select a section from an English-language book to read and discuss as a group.
Skits
Or, if your participants enjoy acting, creating short skits or plays in English are fun language exercises.
Special Activities
While having interesting club meetings is important for keeping participants motivated, you should avoid too much repetition. Doing special activities with your club from time to time gives participants something to look forward to, builds friendships, and provides new ways to learn.
Group trips
You can organize a short trip. Your club can see an English-language movie together at a theater, go on a hike, or attend a concert to watch an English-language band. Another idea is to visit a museum with an English-speaking guide.
Newsletter
If club members enjoy writing, collect English-language essays, stories, or poetry that they write. You can publish their work together in a newsletter.
Competition
Another idea is to create friendly competitions with your club’s participants or between other English clubs. Poetry, speech, or debate competitions are especially effective.
Scavenger Hunts
For a scavenger hunt, you can create a list of items that club members must find or photograph around their city or neighborhood. But instead of directly saying what the items are, give them hints about what they are.
Film Viewings
Another idea is to host English-language film viewings during a club meeting or at other locations.
Club Party
Finally, have a party to celebrate a holiday or just for fun. This is a way to help create a friendly, informal environment for club members. Remember to encourage English-only conversations at such events, however.
There are hundreds of possibilities for English club activities. This list provides you with a good start. The important thing to remember is to keep things fun and keep your club members motivated.
Words in This Story
hint – n. a small piece of information that helps you guess an answer or do something more easily
informal - adj. having a friendly and relaxed quality
motivate – v. to give (someone) a reason for doing something
relax – v. to become or to cause (something) to become less tense, tight, or stiff
(Download MP3, Download MP3) For many English learners, speaking is the most difficult part of the language to master. To improve your speaking skills, you need to be able to practice with other English learners or English speakers.
One way to do this is by joining – or starting – an English club. In today’s Education Tips, we discuss how English clubs can be helpful to your language-learning process.
This is part one of a two-part series on English clubs. In this episode, we offer advice for how to start and organize an English club. In next week’s episode, we will suggest some fun and educational activities for your club.
English clubs for language learning
There are many reasons why English clubs can help learners of all ages and levels improve their English. The most important reason is that they offer learners a chance to practice English by actually speaking it.
There are other advantages, too. English clubs are less formal than a classroom setting. Many learners find them more fun than usual English classes. They also let learners practice English in more real-life situations. This can increase a learner’s desire to practice and learn on their own.
Bonnie Norton and Ernst Von Glasersfeld are learning theory experts. They say that using a language in authentic situations is very important for learners. So is being motivated to practice and improve, they say.
Now that you understand some of the benefits of an English club, let’s discus how you can create your own club.
Starting an English club
Step1: Finding club members:
The first step in starting an English club is to find club members. There are different ways to do this.
If you are a teacher creating the club for your students, then the easiest way is to put up signs in classrooms advertising the club’s first meeting. You can also pass around a sign-up sheet in classes.
If you are trying to start a club at your place of work, you can advertise your club by sending an email around to coworkers. You can also put up signs about the club around the workplace.
If your club is open for anyone to join, you can use the internet to find members. Websites such as Meetup or Facebook are great places to announce club meetings and communicate with members.
Step 2 – Find a meeting location:
Next, you must find a place for your club to meet. This step is very important. The location of your club will affect how many people come to your meetings. It is important to consider several things when choosing a location.
First, how easy is it for members to find and get to the location? It is a good idea to find a central location that is easy to get to. Otherwise, members may slowly stop coming. Second, it is important to find a location that is safe. You want your members to feel comfortable as they are arriving and leaving.
If you are a teacher, the easiest location is probably in a classroom or another room in the school building. English clubs often meet after school or work hours. This can make it easier to find an available room.
If you are creating an English club outside of a class or work setting, consider holding meetings at a cafe, restaurant or bar. These places often have enough space for large groups. Club members coming straight from school or work will also have a chance to eat or drink something.
Wherever you meet, make sure to speak with the owners of the business or building and get their permission.
Step 3 – Holding your first meeting
The third step is to hold your first meeting. The first meeting is important for every English club. It is a good idea to use the first meeting as a chance to talk with members about logistics. This includes how often and where the club will meet, whether or not there will be membership fees, and how the club leadership will work.
Club leadership
Club leadership is one of the most important parts of starting an English club. If you have a good system of leadership, your club has a better chance at lasting.
If your club is small enough, or more informal, sometimes all you need is one person to lead the club. The main responsibility of the one leader is to organize and lead the meetings. The leader also must communicate information to club members.
However, if your club is large, it is a good idea to have a group of people that can help run the club.
This kind of leadership is useful for many reasons. It divides the amount of work it takes to run a club among several people. It also helps club members practice speaking English with real-life tasks. And, if the members of your club are mostly students, it can help them develop teamwork and leadership skills.
It is also important to have rules for the leadership system. For example, how long will club leaders hold their positions? How will they transfer power to someone else if they must quit the club? You should consider holding elections to choose new leaders.
Whatever leadership system you choose, the goal of an English club remains the same: to keep your club members motivated to continue participating. So, club leaders should not try to do everything themselves.
In fact, it is a good idea to give tasks to many different club members. This makes the members feel important. They are more likely to remain committed to the club. And it can increase their desire to learn.
Final thoughts
English clubs can take many forms and serve many purposes. Following these steps will help any club have a successful start.
Join us next week as we talk about fun and creative activities to do with your newly formed English club.
I'm Jill Robbins.
And I’m Phil Dierking.
Words in This Story
advantage - n. something (such as a good position or condition) that helps to make someone or something better or more likely to succeed than others
authentic - adj. real or genuine
benefit - n. a good or helpful result or effect
club - adj. a group of people who meet to participate in an activity
committed - adj. willing to give your time, energy, etc., to something
logistics - n. the things that must be done to plan and organize a complicated activity or event that involves many people
motivation - n. the act or process of giving someone a reason for doing something
task - n. a piece of work that has been given to someone
(Download MP3, Mirror) If you are like many language learners, you try to memorize lists of vocabulary words and grammar rules.
Perhaps you test yourself by using flash cards or answering questions from a website for language learners.
Even with all of that memorization, do you think that something might be missing from your studies?
Do you like to study in a coffee shop, or at a table in a busy room? Perhaps you have found a good place for language learning without knowing it.
In our Education report today, we will explore the limitations of memorization. We will also discover how the best learning does not always take place in the classroom -- or even in a quiet library.
Memorization outside of the classroom
Barbara Oakley is a professor of engineering at Oakland University in Michigan. She teaches the most popular Massive Open Online Course in the world. It is called Learning How to Learn.
Oakley says that when language learners study outside of class, they often work on memorizing many words and terms.
A common method when learning a foreign language is to make flash cards. Flash cards can be a useful tool for testing yourself and improving your memory of new words.
We have discussed testing yourself in other education stories.
Yet Oakley has mixed feelings about the usefulness of flash cards and vocabulary lists.
She says the cards can help learners remember words. However, they may not help language learners put words together in new ways.
Medical students, Oakley says, have to remember large amounts of information. But even the best memorizers at American medical schools can have trouble explaining how the heart works – even if they have memorized every part of the heart.
"Some of these same superstar memorizers can actually find themselves struggling when they are, for example, sitting down and trying to learn about how the heart functions. That's a very different kind of learning than sitting and memorizing a list of anatomical terms. You can memorize every part of a heart, but have no idea of how the chambers are interacting with one another, how the blood is flowing through and how that relates to the rest of the body. And that takes kind of a different way of looking at the materials."
What can you do?
If memorization is not enough to completely learn something, what can you do?
One idea comes from the Cognitive and Academic Language Learning Approach, also known as CALLA. One of its successful study methods is called seek opportunities to practice.
In this method, students look for new and different ways to use what they have been studying.
Language learners could look for chances to practice with a local language group, on an internet chat forum, at a café, and so on.
By seeking out different places to practice, the learner must express his or her thoughts in a second language. The learner will also have to put words together in new ways.
Learning outside of the classroom
Another common problem, Oakley says, is that students mistakenly believe that sitting in a classroom is the only way people can learn a new language.
She herself studied Russian in college, but said she really only started to learn the language while working on a Russian ship as a translator. "It isn't just book learning or conventional learning through a classroom that we acquire knowledge," Oakley said.
She adds that some students have study habits that do not help them learn. "Learning is not the same as studying," says a line in Mindshift, Oakley's new book.
The Learning Center at the University of North Carolina notes that many students believe that reading in a quiet room is the best way to study.
"Active studying does not mean highlighting or underlining text, re-reading, or rote memorization," says a statement on the center's website. It adds, "Silence isn't golden....The silence of a library may not be the best place for you."
Oakley suggests language learners study in places that have noise.
"Sometimes it can help to study in an environment where there is a little bit of occasional noise. By that, I mean the perfect example is a coffee shop... When you get that little clank – there's a bit of a cup goes against a dish... what that does is to momentarily shift you into a different neural network. And that different neural network is a bit longer range. And momentarily it helps you step back and look with a different perspective on what you are working on."
Closing thoughts
The point of this story is not to make you worried about your study methods. The point is to propose a few ideas to you.
First, learning is more than just memorization. Memorization is one step – of many – in the learning process.
Second, classrooms are not the only place you can learn. Look for other places to practice and learn.
Finally, consider how you study carefully. You may not need to sit alone in a silent room to study. In fact, other places might be better for you.
Many people can study well in places like a living room, surrounded by the noise of their family members. Others can read on a noisy train or bus.
The learning process is not easy. However, thinking carefully about new, creative ways to learn and study can make the process much more fun for you!
I'm John Russell.
And I'm Ashley Thompson.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
vocabulary – n. the words that make up a language
flash card – n. a card that has words, numbers, or pictures on it and that is used to help students learn about a subject
library – n. a place where books, other publications and recordings are kept for public use, but are not sold
function – v. to work or operate
chamber – n. a natural or artificial enclosed space or cavity
practice – v. to perform work repeatedly so as become skilled at something
translator – n. a person who changes words (written or spoken) in one language into a different language
highlight – v. to bring attention to something
rote – adj. the process of learning something by repeating it many times without thinking about it or fully understanding it
neural – adj. of, relating to, or involving a nerve or the nervous system
In the beginning, you may have wondered if you would ever be able to ride a bicycle at all. Then suddenly one day, you could ride without help from anyone.
Doing a physical activity easily, without thinking, uses an ability we call "muscle memory."
When you repeat a physical action many times, your brain develops permanent memory for how to do it.
There are many examples, such as walking, swimming, dancing, driving a car, playing a musical instrument and speaking your native language.
Elizabeth Marner-Brooks says your muscles can help you remember how to pronounce words.
For nearly 30 years, she has taught English language classes at The New School and other universities in New York City. Pronunciation is one of her areas of expertise.
At the start of her pronunciation courses, Marner-Brooks asks her students how often they practice their pronunciation skills. The usual answer is "once or twice a week." Then, she asks how long they think it would take a baby to learn to walk if they only tried that often. She hopes this discussion helps them see the connection between speaking and the memory we build into our muscles.
Marner-Brooks recently spoke to VOA Learning English on Skype.
"It's using the muscles. You have to give yourself permission because human nature dictates that we're going to be spurred on to doing things once we find results. But, we get the results by doing it. And, you can get results very quickly - very quickly - if you just do it."
Right now, the muscles in your mouth, lips and tongue may feel strange as they try to make the shapes to produce the sounds of English words. This can require a lot of effort.
But, Marner-Brooks notes that the muscles will soon remember how to produce the correct sounds with little or no effort.
She works with her students to make consonant and vowel sounds. She also teaches them the use of stress and pitch, two other important elements of English pronunciation.
Many English learners have told Marner-Brooks that other teachers only asked them to repeat English words. They did not teach how to produce the sounds.
"One person said, 'Well, nobody ever showed me that my tongue goes up for a d and presses. Nobody ever showed me that. They would just do it and I had to copy it.'"
Unlike many languages, English has 16 different vowel sounds. So building memory for the correct tongue position is especially important, she notes.
For vowels, she explains that the sounds have a natural progression, from the highest position of the tongue to the flattest position.
So, for example, for a long "e" sound, the tongue is high up in the mouth "like a camel's back," she says. For a shorter vowel sound, the tongue is in the middle of the mouth. And, for the shortest, the tongue is flat.
Try the sounds that Marner-Brooks pronounces to feel it for yourself.
"So, /hi/ as in he, she, we and /hI/ as in him, women and /hɛ/ as in help, bread, head'."
She adds that speaking is a creative action – we are creating sounds as we speak. A common misunderstanding people have about learning language is that it is only an intellectual action.
"And when we're dealing with speech – with making the sounds – we're dealing with the creative side of the brain, not the intelligent, thinking side."
To help build your muscle memory, Marner-Brooks says you can use pronunciation videos on the Internet. She suggests English learners avoid using the Internet to simply repeat words they hear.
Instead, find short American English pronunciation guides on web sites like YouTube. Specifically, look for videos that demonstrate things like vowel and consonant muscle training.
This chart lists the vowels sounds that Marner-Brooks discusses in the video.
Vowel Chart*
Example Words
1 /i/
she, he we, weekly
2 /I/
him, women, liquid, film
3 /ɛ/
help, head, bread, said
4 /e/
today, play, way
5 /eI/
hair, share, care, compare
6 /ae/
hat, cat, map, lap, sat, tap
7 /ɒ/
class, dance, mask, chance
8 /ɑ/
harm, alarm, father, calm
9 /ɔ/
hot, cotton, stop, watch, clock
10 /ɔ/
daughter, caught, sought, bought
11 /ɜ:/
shirt, skirt, girl, turn, stir
12 /ʌ/
lunch, tongue, cover, lungs
13 /əu/
know, go, focus
14 /u/
should, could, would, cookie, look
15 /u:/
shoe, two, blue
Marner-Brooks suggests students do vowel and consonant pronunciation exercises for 3-5 minutes four times each day. And, use a mirror to observe yourself as you practice the sounds.
If these exercises feel foolish or strange, she has these final thoughts:
"What I suggest is for you to be comfortable, take the risks, and enjoy speaking the language. That's the goal."
I'm Alice Bryant.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
Words in This Story
pronounce – v. to use the mouth and other organs of speech to say words correctly
practice – v. to do something again and again in order to become better at it
spur – v. to motivate someone to do something
consonant – n. a speech sound (such as /p/, /d/, or /s/) that is made by partly or completely stopping the flow of air breathed out from the mouth
vowel – n. a speech sound made with your mouth open and your tongue in the middle of your mouth, not touching one’s teeth or lips
stress – n. greater loudness or force given to part of a word when speaking or to a beat in music
pitch – n. the rise and fall of your voice when you speak
camel – n. a large animal of Africa and Asia that has a long neck and one or two large humps on its back
*Based on the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
(Download MP3, Mirror) If you are like many language students, you might have a problem with procrastination.
Perhaps you are slow to do homework or study for a test. Maybe you do not like to study or you become distracted while studying.
Whatever the case may be, learning how to focus can help you have more useful study sessions.
What are some ways to help you stop procrastinating?
In this Education Report, we will explore one method to help you focus: the Pomodoro technique.
What is the Pomodoro technique?
Francesco Cirillo created the Pomodoro technique in the 1980s. Cirillo was a college student at the time. He used a timer shaped like a tomato to help him focus on his school work. Pomodoro is the Italian word for the fruit, by the way.
The technique works like this: you set a timer for 25 minutes and work on a task until the timer rings.
Take a short break - around five minutes - then re-set the device.
After several 25-minute study sessions, you should take a longer break – anywhere from 15-30 minutes, writes Cirillo.
Cirillo suggests recording the number of Pomodoro sessions you complete. He also suggests getting organized and planning for future study sessions so that you can complete the most important work first.
The important point of this method is to help you focus and stop postponing work.
Procrastination and Language Learning
Procrastination, says Dr. Barbara Oakley, is one of the biggest issues in language learning.
Oakley is the creator of the most popular Massive Open Online Course, or MOOC, in the world. The class is called "Learning How to Learn."
Oakley, a professor of engineering, also has years of experience in language learning. She studied Russian and worked as a translator on a ship when Russia was part of the Soviet Union.
The Pomodoro technique, she says, is the best way to help overcome procrastination.
The technique goes beyond just setting a timer, adds Oakley. She notes the importance of turning off anything that might distract you while studying, such as a cell phone.
Also, the important part about the technique is to train your brain to enjoy learning.
Oakley explains that you should treat yourself after focusing for 25 minutes:
"And when you are done, give yourself a little reward. Listen to a song you like, or get up and move around or chat – you know, just some kind of reward. And that reward will help wire your brain so it more enjoys the actual process of learning."
What can you do?
The next time you have to study give the Pomodoro technique a try. Set a timer for 25 minutes and try to focus as much as possible during that time period. Then give yourself a reward for your hard work. Maybe get yourself something to eat or drink.
You can find free timers on the Internet. They can help you with the Pomodoro technique. Or you can use an old-fashioned timer.
The tool you choose to use is not important. What is important is that you avoid distractions and train your mind to enjoy learning.
Give the Pomodoro technique a try, and let us know how it works for you.
I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
procrastinate– v. to be slow or late about doing something that should be done; to delay doing something
procrastination – n. the act of being slow or late about doing something that should be done.
distracted – adj. unable to think about or pay attention to something; unable to think clearly about something
focus– v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific
task– n. a piece of work that has been given to someone; a job for someone to do
session – n. a period of time that is used to do a particular activity
(Download MP3, Mirror) From VOA Learning English, this is the Education Report.
Many English learners work hard to improve their pronunciation skills.
If you are not making as much progress as you'd hoped, you are not alone. You may be surprised to know that a number of teachers do not know how to effectively teach this skill.
Judy Gilbert is a pronunciation expert. She has written many books on the subject.
A few years ago, Gilbert gave a talk at the New School, a private university in New York City. She explained that, for the past 50 years, most English language teachers have not been trained to teach pronunciation.
For years, teachers mainly demonstrated the pronunciation of individual sounds, such as the "wh" sound in the word "what." But individual sounds are only one part of pronunciation, as we noted in an earlier Education Tips story. Other elements include rhythm, intonation, and stress – the loudness you give to part or all of a word or words.
These qualities together make up the system of spoken English. In everyday speech, some words and sounds are almost always pronounced fully and clearly, while others are reduced and less clear.
William Stout teaches English as Foreign Language at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. He has been leading pronunciation workshops for 10 years.
He says the goal in improving your pronunciation should be communicating to be easily understood, not removing your accent, which is often difficult or impossible.
Learning how to listen
Stout says one of the most important things you can do to improve your pronunciation is to learn how to listen to English effectively. And, a big part of doing this is to recognize and understand reduced English words when you hear them.
Stout says his pronunciation workshops mainly center on training his students' ears to listen for these things.
"Someone might say, 'What do you want to get him for his birthday?' And in this case, even beginner students can usually hear the content words -- what, get, birthday – and they can guess the meaning. But the words in between are reduced."
And you can hear how some words join together to sound almost like one word. For example, the words "get him" sound like "geddum." The letter "h" in "him" disappears and the vowel sound in that word is shortened. And the letter "t" in "get" changes to a "d" sound.
In everyday speech, some words are almost always reduced. These words can include pronouns, helping verbs (such as "can" or "do"), conjunctions, articles and prepositions.
Other parts of speech are almost always pronounced clearly, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs.
Stout says that knowing these rules can help you train your ears more effectively. And, this can help you reproduce the sounds of everyday English speech so that you are more easily understood.
Using songs, limericks, and jazz chants
Stout enjoys using songs and song-like material in his classes. These things reproduce the natural rhythm, intonation, and stress of conversational English.
Listening to songs, says Stout, can help speed up your progress.
"I think songs are a nice way to practice and I've found that students who like to sing in English generally improve their pronunciation very quickly."
In class, he plays a song or other example of natural speech, and asks students to write down what they hear. Then, the class talks about which words were reduced and how.
Listen for reduced words and sounds in this limerick:
There was an old man from Tarentum
Who ground his false teeth ‘til he bent them.
When they asked him the cost
Of what he had lost,
He said, “I can’t say, 'cuz I rent them.”
Did you notice the reductions? There are many. One example is the dropped "h" in the pronouns "his," "him" and "he." Note that the word "'til" means "until" and "'cuz" means "because." In English conversation, Americans often shorten the words just as the limerick does.
Stout also uses jazz chants, a method popularized by book author and songwriter Carolyn Graham.
Listen for the stressed words in this jazz chant:
Where does John live?
He lives near the bank.
Where does he work?
He works at the bank.
When does he work?
He works all day and he works all night.
It's a bank. It's a bank. It's a great, big bank.
Here are two suggestions for using these methods.
Tip #1: Start now
William Stout says as you listen to fast-paced English in songs, films, and other natural speech, try to notice all of the words that are reduced. Then….
"…work on imitating just one phrase or a sentence several times. But my main advice is not to wait. And you can improve your pronunciation at all levels of proficiency…and the sooner you start to notice the patterns of English pronunciation, the sooner you're going to improve. And, that way, you don't develop bad pronunciation habits that are hard to change over time."
Tip #2: Take chances
Stout advises that you let go of the fear of not sounding like "yourself" when you're practicing English conversation.
"A big part of how we define ourselves, a big part of our identity, is in the way we talk, the way we sound. But, sometimes, we just need to take on a new personality in the way we speak in a different language and we should just take chances. I think that's an important aspect is being willing to take chances and sound different to yourself."
And again, improving your pronunciation is not about completely removing your accent.
"I find that most Americans like to hear an accent – so long as they can easily understand what the person is saying."
Remember, the goal is to be understood – not to sound like a native English speaker.
I'm Phil Dierking.
And I'm Alice Bryant.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
Which words in the limerick are reduced? Which words in the jazz chant are stressed? Write your responses in the comments section below.
Words in This Story
pronunciation - n. the way in which words are said
rhythm - n. a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements
intonation - n. the rise and fall in the sound of your voice when you speak
content - n. the ideas, facts, or images that are in a book, article, speech, movie, etc.
ground - v. to crush or break something into very small pieces by rubbing it against a rough surface or using a special machine
bend - v. to use force to cause something to become curved
pattern - n. the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done
habit - n. something that a person does often in a regular and repeated way
aspect - n. a part of something
accent - n. a way in which a group of people says a word or words
(Download MP3, Mirror) Imagine you are trying to develop a skill that you want to remember -- and use -- for a long time.
Perhaps you are learning a new language or complex information in a subject like physics or mathematics.
What could you do to help you remember what you have learned? What is a good study method to help you reach your goals?
One way is to use a method called "spaced practice." This suggestion comes from Mary Pyc. She is a specialist in cognitive science, the study of the mind and its processes. Pyc works for Dart NeuroScience, a company with offices in San Diego, California.
In today’s Education report, we explore the idea of "spaced practice."
Common study habits
If you are like many students, you might study quickly and try to memorize subject material just before a test. You might learn new words in one study session, but then never look at them again.
You might feel like you have memorized the new words or terms, but when it comes time to use them – perhaps on a test – you cannot remember them.
You will not be surprised to learn that practice -- repeating exercises -- helps you learn. However, the way you practice can influence how well you learn something.
What is spaced practice?
Cognitive scientist Mary Pyc says that one way to develop a long-term memory of something is to use spaced practice.
In other words, studying the new information over time is better for long-term learning.
So, instead of practicing in only one session, learners could better spend their time studying the information several times throughout the week.
Pyc says that spacing comes in two ways: spacing within a study session and spacing between sessions.
Spacing within and between sessions
Spacing within a session means occasionally re-examining the information in a single practice session.
One way English learners can do this, Pyc says, is by creating flashcards. One side of a card might have the word in English; the other side has the word written in the student’s native language.
The more cards you have, the greater the space between each time you see the card. So, spacing within in a session is used to describe the act of building a larger deck of flashcards.
Pyc asks “How thick is your deck of flashcards? The bigger the deck of flashcards you have, the better that is for long-term memory.”
Spacing between sessions is somewhat different, she notes:
"You don't want to do all of your studying in one learning session. You want to space it across time. So, maybe three days a week you come back to this deck of flashcards, and you go until you get items correct."
If you do not like having large decks of flashcards, you can create digital tests or quizzes that follow your progress over time. We explored this subject in an earlier education story, which you can find on our website, voalearningenglish.com.
What is interleaving?
Spaced practice naturally goes with another study method: interleaving.
Interleaving means using a mix of study methods during a practice session. The important part is that your brain has to practice changing between different operations.
Language learners may study different vocabulary words mixed together in a large deck of flashcards. The brain must remember different meanings of each word.
Or students studying math may practice addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems mixed together.
The important point, Pyc explains, is that students begin to discriminate between different kinds of problems.
This strategy is much more useful than having exercises only for addition problems or only for subtraction problems, for example.
The strategy of practicing only one subject is called "blocked" practice. It is commonly used in schools, although Pyc says that it is not as effective as spaced, or interleaved practice.
Do not become discouraged
You should know one thing about the strategies we have discussed today: they take more time.
Mary Pyc and Henry Roediger III wrote an article for the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition.
In the report, they write that some of the best types of learning take place slowly at first. This learning may take more time and be more difficult, but long-term retention is far greater. In other words, you will be able to remember what you learned for far longer.
So, the important point is to not become discouraged. The value of regular, effortful practice may not be apparent for some time, but the long-term benefits are great!
I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
cognitive– n. of, relating to, or involving mental activities (such as thinking, understanding, learning, and remembering)
session – n. a period of time that is used to perform activity
interleave – v. to organize in or as if in alternative or different levels
practice – n. an actual performance; a systemic exercise; the way of doing something
occasionally – adj. rarely; not very often
digital – adj. of or related to computer technology
deck– n. a set of playing cards
strategy – n. a careful method or plan
retention – n. the act of retaining; something retrained
discouraged – adj. feeling less determined, hopeful, or confident
(Download MP3, Mirror) Imagine you have a test in school. It could be for a class in history or mathematics. Even worse, you could have an English test. How should you prepare for this terrible event? What can you do before the big day to help you do better?
Should you reread your history or math books? What about underlining important words or sentences?
If you are like many students, you probably use both rereading and underlining. But are these truly the best methods?
Today, on our Education Report, we will explore effective and ineffective ways to study for tests. You might learn that some study habits you used in the past might not be the best methods.
Are rereading and highlighting effective?
Rereading and highlighting are common strategies that you will see in schools around the world.
Students look at information they have already read in an effort to remember what is important.
Students often combine rereading with highlighting. They underline important information in what they read with a writing instrument such as a marker.
American Mary Pyc is a cognitive scientist. She studies the human mind and its processes.
Pyc says that both rereading and highlighting are ineffective study tools. While better than not studying at all, she believes they are not as useful as other habits.
"For example, with rereading, it's maybe not as effective because you are not trying to actively retrieve the information. You are not seeing "what do I actually know about what I read?" With rereading what is going to happen is that it is going to feel like you already know the information because you've already read it. So, you have this sense of fluency that is leading you to think "Ok, yes, I know the information."
The problem with highlighting, Pyc says, is that students have a false sense of understanding - similar to when they reread information. Also, there is a second problem that comes with highlighting.
"Students aren't always aware of what the most important information is. So it's possible that they are maybe highlighting details that aren't as important as the higher level concepts."
What can you do?
So what should you do if rereading and highlighting are not the best ways to study for a test?
One idea is to test yourself. We have discussed self-testing strategies in other education stories. Simple flashcards and practice exams can help when you want to make sure that you have learned something.
Another strategy is what education experts have called “spaced practice.” This means to practice remembering the new information over time, instead of doing everything all at once. We will discuss spaced practice in a future Education Tips story.
Regardless of which strategy you chose, you should know that effective learning takes time and it takes effort.
The next time you have a test coming, try to plan for the big day so that you can give yourself time to engage in different study habits. And remember, rereading and highlighting are better than not studying at all, but there are better methods out there!
I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
ineffective – adj. not producing or having the effect you want; not effective
engage– v. to get and keep; to ask someone to perform a service
regardless – adv. without being stopped by trouble, difficulty
flashcard – n. one of a set of cards carrying information, such as words, numbers or other information
practice – v. to perform or work at repeatedly so you become better at something
highlight – v. to mark something in color for detail
(Download MP3, Mirror) Giving a presentation can be a scary task. It can be even more worrisome when the presentation is not in your native language. You may forget the English words for what you want to say. Or, like a lot of people, you may get nervous.
But, the good news is there are many tools you can use. Learning these tools can help you become a confident and effective presenter – even in English!
Anna Uhl Chamot, a retired professor at George Washington University, developed a way of teaching language learners. Called CALLA, the method explains how to use learning strategies to understand academic language and content. Learning strategies are thoughts and actions that help people learn better, or perform tasks effectively.
CALLA stands for Cognitive Academic Language Learning Approach. Think of these strategies as tools that will make presentations easier and more enjoyable – for the presenter and the audience.
Many of the CALLA strategies are useful for giving a presentation in your second language. But Chamot says three are especially useful: Planning, Monitoring and Self-Evaluation.
Let’s start with planning.
Learning Strategy #1: Planning
Planning involves everything you do to prepare and practice before giving your presentation.
This includes deciding what your main ideas are and making notes of the points you want to make. Chamot emphasizes that having a good understanding of your subject is very important. This understanding makes it possible to talk about your topic fluidly and confidently during your presentation.
After deciding on main ideas and notes, some people even like to write out every word they’re going to say.
“I know a lot of learners, and I mean not just learners of English but people in general, even native speakers, feel that they want to write out everything they’re going to say. This gives them some comfort.”
If you do this, Chamot says, once you are satisfied with the wording, then it’s time to reduce those words to very, very short notes.
During the planning period, you will also prepare your visuals, such as on PowerPoint, Prezi or some other program.
Chamot recommends that each visual only have a few bullets of your points and very few words on it. Or, even better is if you have only images or easy-to-see graphics and no words.
For example, if you are giving a presentation about things to do during summer in Washington, D.C., your visual might be an image of something exciting that takes place in that season:
Good rules to follow when making visuals for your presentation: keep it simple; use high-quality images or graphics; and limit the amount of text
Good rules to follow when making visuals for your presentation: keep it simple; use high-quality images or graphics; and limit the amount of text.That next step of planning is practice. Chamot says practicing is the most important step because it will help remind you of the points that the short phrases on your visuals represent.
Practice saying what you want to say about each visual. The more you verbalize everything you want to say, the easier it will be to talk comfortably about the points.
Practicing will also help you avoid doing two things: reading from your notes or memorizing any part of your presentation.
When you practice, do so in front of another person, or a few people. Even your electronics can help you, Chamot says.
“Use a friend or a family member as your audience or/and practice in front of a mirror, looking at yourself, and turn on your smart phone and record yourself. Then you can listen to what you really sound like.”
And, as you practice, visualize being in front of the real audience.
“Imagine in your head the audience, see all those faces and expressions and imagine that they’re there right in front of you.”
Chamot also recommends a tactic that can quickly get any audience interested and helps to decrease the nervous feeling: ask your audience a question.
For example, if your topic is summer activities in Washington, D.C., you might ask a question like, “How many of you have ever gone to an outdoor concert in Washington, D.C.?”
Asking a question also makes a presentation more like a two-way conversation and less like a lecture.
When you spend time preparing and practicing, you gain confidence and comfort and will feel less worry on presentation day.
Learning Strategy #2: Monitoring
The next strategy is monitoring. Monitoring is watching, listening to, or checking something for a special purpose over a period of time.
You should monitor yourself at two different points: during your practice sessions and during the actual presentation.
During Practice:
To monitor during practice, Chamot says make a list of questions to ask yourself.
“Some examples are: ‘Did I state my topic and objectives at the beginning?’ ‘Did I provide some examples and details for each main idea?’ ‘Did I restate the topic and conclusions at the end?’”
A big part of developing comfort in front of a group, she says, comes from the effort you put into practicing. If you practice enough, you will not need to monitor much during the actual presentation.
During the Presentation:
When you’re in front of the real audience, monitoring can help you quickly observe issues and find solutions.
“One of the most important things to monitor is: ‘Am I nervous?’ ‘What can I do about it?’ One of the things about monitoring is that, when you’re monitoring your performance, you notice problems and it allows you an opportunity to try to solve those problems.”
Chamot says, if you realize you’re feeling nervous, a good learning strategy to use is Self-Talk: mentally telling yourself you are going to do well.
“Like, ‘I really worked hard on this. I know my PowerPoint looks good. I’m going to take a deep breath. And I have practiced so much. I know I can do this.’”
And, if you forget English words during your presentation, you can use the strategy called Substitution: choosing different words to say what you want to say.
Other questions to keep in mind while you’re giving your presentation are: “Am I speaking too fast or too slow?” “Am I looking at my audience?” “Am I smiling from time to time?”
Learning Strategy #3: Self-Evaluation
That brings us to Self-Evaluation, our third learning strategy.
In Self-Evaluation, you examine how well you did. The main difference between monitoring and self-evaluation is when it happens. Self-evaluation takes place after each practice session and after your actual presentation.
Chamot suggests making a list of questions for these two evaluation periods. For after your practice sessions, include questions such as: “Did I look at the audience enough?” “How much more do I need to practice?” and “How well did I do?”
And, for after the actual presentation, ask yourself, “What did I do well?” and “What do I need to improve?”
The CALLA method says understanding what strategies work well for you is important. That is especially true when you evaluate a time you did something well. Those strategies that helped you do well are the ones you want to use again.
Giving a presentation in your second language can indeed be frightening. But, if you have a strong understanding of your subject and use these helpful tools, it will become easier and easier to speak in public!
I’m Alice Bryant. And I’m Bryan Lynn.
Alice Bryant wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor. We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
task - n. a piece of work that has been given to someone; a job for someone to do
retired - adj. not working anymore; having ended your working or professional career
bullet - n. a large dot in a document, book, etc., that brings attention to separate pieces of information in a list
phrase - n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence
verbalize - v. to express something in words
evaluate - v. to judge the value or condition of someone or something in a careful and thoughtful way
session - n. a period of time that is used to do a particular activity
(Download MP3, Mirror) Anyone studying a foreign language knows the importance of memorizing words and expressions in that language.
The more you can remember, the bigger your vocabulary.
Experts say English learners need to develop a large vocabulary to be successful on language tests and at English-speaking universities.
This information comes from Alicia Biler and Ray Knight. They teach at the English Programs for Internationals at the University of South Carolina.
In this Education report, we investigate why English learners need to develop a large vocabulary set. We will also tell you about ideas that teachers and scientists have for learners interested in expanding their understanding of words and expressions.
I Can't Remember That Word!
If you are like many people, you have probably faced a situation like this one in the VOA Learning English series Let's Learn English:
Anna: They are playing a game. It’s a kind of handball. What do they call it?
In the video, Anna Matteo has a hard time remembering a word. Perhaps Anna has not heard the word enough times. Perhaps she has not thought about it in a very long time.
Whatever the case, the point is this: it can be difficult to remember and use vocabulary words!
Common challenge
Ray Knight and Alicia Biler report that one of the most common problems English learners face is remembering and using vocabulary words.
Biler says a student's success on proficiencytests and at an English-language university is related to the student’s vocabulary.
"English has a wide vocabulary language. Unlike other languages that use more grammar or more word endings to express different meanings, English uses vocabulary to do that job… I think the suggested range for reading a newspaper is around 5,000 words but for students who want to be successful academically, let's say at a university level, they need to know somewhere around 10,000 words."
Biler adds that English learners need to see or hear a word about 10 times before they feel at ease with the word and start using it.
What can you do?
If you need to learn a lot of unfamiliar words, and you have to remember those words, what can you do?
How can you get vocabulary into your long-term memory?
Mary Pyc is a cognitive scientist. She studies human learning.
Pyc says one helpful method for long-term learning is to test yourself. The easiest way to do this, she explains, is to create your own flashcards.
Each card is no bigger than your hand. The word in English can appear on one side of the card. The meaning in your native language can appear on the back.
By repeatedly using flashcards -- and slowly building up the number of cards – you can remember more words. Regular testing will also help you learn which words are difficult for you.
The important point, Pyc says, is that you should not try cramming unfamiliar words if you want to have long-term learning. Cramming is a common method for studying. People try to memorize a lot of information in a hurry before a big test. This strategy can help students on some exams. "But," Pyc notes, "the caveat is that the day later you're not going to remember any of that information."
She had other suggestions about how to improve the learning process, which we will discuss in future education stories.
Try using free online tests
Ray Knight says there are several websites that can help with testing.
Alicia Biler adds that English learners can be helped by taking free language tests, such as Nation's vocabulary test. While Nation’s test does not give you definitive answers about your English abilities, it can help show you where you need to improve, she says.
Building a large vocabulary and getting all that information into long-term memory are not easy tasks.
However, with effort, a little sacrifice, and training you can increase the number of vocabulary words that you know.
In future Education Tips stories, we will explore other effective ways to practice.
I’m John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
vocabulary – n. a list or collection of words and expressions
encounter – v. to deal with or experience something
challenge – n. a difficult task or problem
proficiency test – n. a test to see how well you can do something
caveat– n. an explanation or warning that should be remembered when you are doing or thinking about something
(Download MP3, Mirror) English learners can improve their pronunciation skills with training exercises used by singers. A smartphone with a camera can help, too.
These suggestions come from Michael Berman. He works in the Reading, English as a Second Language (ESL) and Linguistics Department at Montgomery College in the American state of Maryland.
Many students of a foreign language have trouble with word stress and intonation – raising and lowering the sound of your voice when you speak.
Michael Berman believes that such problems are not as serious as some people might think. Up to a third of his students, he says, have increased their ability to be understood by using two simple actions: slowing down and speaking up.
Common problem:
VOA Learning English's video series Let’s Learn English tells about a situation that many English learners have probably experienced:
Anna: So, what's wrong? You look sad.
Pete: I don't have a job.
Anna: Sorry, I can't hear you.
Pete: I do not have a job.
In the video, Anna asks Pete to repeat his sentence because she did not understand him.
And like many English learners, pronouncing words correctly is not Pete's problem.
The reason Anna does not understand Pete is because he is not speaking loudly.
In Pete's case, he is not raising his voice because he is sad about not having a job.
For some English learners, the problem of speaking softly is that the speaker appears to be showing weakness, says Berman. English learners may want to hide their mistakes by speaking quickly or softly. Or, Berman adds, they are bringing customs from their native language.
Whatever the reason, the result is this: English learners might not be understandable to a native speaker.
Berman says there are several different ways to successfully deal with these problems.
Tip #1 Use strategies that come from vocal music training
The first is simple: focus on the speed and volume levels of one’s voice.
By thinking about slowing down and speaking louder, you can slowly change your speech over time.
In addition to thinking about how you speak, you can also use strategies from the music industry. In voice training, Berman says, singers will often train by opening their mouth wider than they usually do. This enables them to get a better tone and a better pitch when they perform.
Singers will often imagine their voice coming up on a string to a target 3 to 5 meters away. When English learners imagine their voices hitting a target at a distance, Berman says, they often improve their ability to speak louder.
Tip #2 Use Selfie Videos
In an earlier Education story, we discussed the value of self-testing.
Educational consultant Sarah Lynn said that testing yourself often is one of the best ways to learn. Lynn teaches at Harvard University's Bridge Program in Massachusetts.
So, how can you take this idea and use it to improve your pronunciation?
One way is by taking a selfie video, says Michael Berman.
All you need to do is place the electronic device 1-2 meters from where you stand. Then, record yourself speaking.
When you listen back to the recording, you can get valuable information about how you sound when you speak. You can share the videos with friends or your teachers. They can give you advice, too.
The value of this practice, adds Berman, increases because young people – often called "millennials – place a high value on the idea of posting videos on social media.
When millennials know their video will appear on social media, he explains, they are likely to repeat the performance many times before filming. "If you're talking about English intelligibility issues, that kind of repetition and practice and focus is amazing", Berman says.
So, give the vocal music and selfie video tips a try, and let us know how they work for you!
I’m John Russell.
Words in This Story
pronunciation– n. the way in which a word or name is said
smartphone – n. a telephone that can be used to send and receive e-mail, connect to the Internet and take photographs
stress – n. greater loudness or force given to a part of a word in speech or to a beat in music
intonation– n. the rise and fall in the sound of your voice when you speak
focus – v. to direct your attention or effort at something specific
volume– n. the amount of sound that is produced by someone oe something
string – n. a long, thin piece of twisted thread that you use to tie things together or hang things
consultant – n. a person who gives professional advice or services to companies for a payment
(Download MP3, Mirror) English learners can improve their pronunciation by working with pitchhumming.
This advice comes from Tamara Jones. She works for the English Language Center at Howard Community College in the American state of Maryland.
English learners, Jones notes, often think that they can be easily understood if all they do is pronounce individual sounds clearly.
However, saying or speaking individual sounds, such as –er or th-, is only one element of pronunciation. Other parts of pronunciation include rhythm, intonation, and word emphasis. Together, they form what we call the 'music of English.'
English learners can become more familiar with the music of English by using pitch humming – mirroring the up and down movement of a speaker's voice.
Word Prominence
English is a language that does not always use grammar to show meaning. In English, speakers use pitch -- high or low sounds -- to give sentences different meanings. Grammatically, two sentences can be identical, but the meaning is completely different.
Consider this example:
Example 1
Person 1: How was breakfast?
Person 2: The coffee was good.
In the example, the second person makes a statement about the coffee that was served with breakfast. The meaning is direct and clear.
Now, listen to a second example. This time, Tamara Jones shows how pitch can change meaning:
Example 2
Person 1: How was breakfast?
Tamara Jones: The COFFEE was good.
The second example carries a much different meaning than the first example; yet both examples are grammatically identical.
Tamara Jones explains:
"Because my pitch change is coming on the word coffee, I'm meaning that probably the rest of the breakfast was not very good. But I don't say that using grammar or word order; instead, I am communicating my meaning through pitch change."
What is pitch humming?
Pitch humming means listening to an English speaker and then repeating the up and down patterns that you hear them make. You do not even need to understand all of the words they are saying, just copy the pitch by humming along with the speaker.
By using pitch humming, Jones says, English learners can begin to recognize the up and down movement of the voice and the words that a speaker emphasizes.
Jones gives an example of what this exercise sounds like:
In another education tips story, we gave you an example of the pitch of a voice from Martha Kolln's book, Rhetorical Grammar.
Here is the sentence:
"One of the most important aspects of your expertise with sentences is your sense of rhythm."
In the sentence, you can hear that some syllables are emphasized, while others are not. Overall, the pitch goes down after important syllables, notably at the end of the sentence.
If you were to hum the pitch movement of the sentence, it might sound like this:
An example from Martha Kolln's Rhetorical Grammar
What can you do?
Jones suggests that English learners start the pitch humming exercise by listening to a brief radio or television broadcast.
Then, the learners should hum along with the speaker, listening for the up and down movement of the voice and emphasized words. In other words, the parts of pronunciation that are not about individual sounds.
Jones adds that English learners do not always need to listen to native English speakers. The learners can also get help by listening to a capable English speaker who has learned English as a second language.
Ideally, she says, the speaker will share the learner's native language. So, for example, an English learner who speaks French as a native language would look for a French speaker who speaks English well. This exercise provides the learner with an example of an attainable model.
Give pitch humming a try, and let us know how it works for you.
I’m John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. George Grow was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
pitch – n. the highness or lowness of a sound
hum – v. to sing the notes of a song while keeping your lips closed
mirror – v. to be very similar to (something)
syllable – n. any one of the parts into which a word is naturally divided when it is pronounced
emphasize – v. to place emphasis on (something)
attainable – adj. ability to succeed in getting or doing (something)
(Download MP3, Mirror) English learners face a common problem: their writing often lacks clarity and cohesion.
That is according to Babi Kruchin and Alan Kennedy who teach at the American Language Program at Columbia University.
They recommend that English learners use concept maps – images that show how ideas are connected.
What is important is how you put it together
Let’s consider a comparison. In some ways, the writing process is like cooking.
Gathering the ingredients for a meal requires effort. But, understanding how to put all the ingredients together is far more difficult.
Similarly, learning nouns, adjectives, and verbs can be hard to do. But, putting them together into a meaningful story, email, or essay is what is difficult.
Doing these things becomes even more difficult when you are writing in a second language.
So, writing clear, cohesive paragraphs or essays, can be hard for English learners.
To overcome this problem, Kruchin and Kennedy recommend that students make concept maps before writing.
Kennedy says concept maps show a writer when his or her writing lacks clarity.
Kruchin adds that concept maps help visual learners – people who learn better by seeing ideas.
What are concept maps?
Concept maps are tools for organizing ideas. They usually have three parts: concepts, arrows, and linking phrases.
The concepts, which are the main ideas, are in circles or boxes. They are often nouns or noun phrases.
Arrows show how concepts are connected.
Linking words or phrases go above the arrows and explain how the concepts relate to one another.
Linking phrases are especially important. They are the groups of words that show relationships between concepts.
Joseph Novak, the creator of concept mapping, says such linking phrases give meaning to statements:
"If you say dog and food, those two concepts by themselves don't mean anything. They don't make a statement about the world. But if you say "dogs need food", then you begin to express an idea that's significant."
Novak adds that the linking words or phrases should be short. "You do not want a story between two concepts," he says, "just the expression that is needed to say, 'this concept is significantly related to another concept.'"
Example of a Simple Concept Map
Generally, the generic ideas are at the top of the concept map and the specific ideas are at the bottom.
Kennedy explains what this looks like:
"So, for example, if you wanted to explain that trees provide wood, and wood is used to make furniture, you could have a circle around the word trees… and then you could have an arrow between the word wood and the word furniture, which would also be in a circle, and on top of that arrow it would say "is used to make""
A Simple Concept Map
From this starting point, writers can expand concept maps to include many concepts, arrows, and linking phrases.
Sample Semantic Map
Regardless of how simple or complex the map is, the most important point is that every concept has at least one arrow attached to it, and that every arrow has a linking word or linking phrase.
Building a concept map before writing an essay or email will make you think about how your ideas relate to one another.
You will realize when you are not explaining the relationships between ideas if you make a concept map that does not have arrows or linking phrases.
What can you do?
So, what can you do to start practicing concept maps?
You can start by reading and learning common linking words.
#1 Start by building a concept map of a paragraph
Kruchin recommends that English learners begin to use concept maps by studying the writing of others.
Learning how good writers have connected and developed ideas is an important starting point for learners who want to improve their own writing.
Kruchin adds that English learners should begin with a small amount of writing, such as a paragraph.
Kruchin suggests that English learners study the paragraph, or essay, by looking for the following information:
"The author's main idea is this, because of A, B, and C and here is one example to support A, one example to support B, one example to support C."
Doing this exercise, Kruchin adds, will give English learners information about how they can show relationships between ideas in their own writing.
#2 Learn common words and phrases that connect ideas
Kennedy recommends that English learners master words and phrases that show relationships between ideas. These linking phrases often show cause and effect or tell about the order of events.
English learners, Kennedy explains, should practice using a few of these phrases before moving to phrases that are more complex.
In particular, he recommends that English learners first use phrases such as "leads to", "causes", "is a type of" and "requires", before moving on to other phrases.
Read the article that goes with this story
Whether your goal is to write novels, poetry, or a message to a co-worker or friend, being able to show a relationship between ideas is an important skill.
Concept mapping might seem complicated, but Kennedy and Kruchin wrote an article that can help clarify their ideas. You can find the article on this page in PDF format. Download the article, read it, then try practicing with concept maps.
Let us know how concept maps work for you!
I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Mario Ritter was the editor.
We want to hear from you. Write to us in the Comments Section.
Words in This Story
cohesion– n. a condition in which people or things are closely united
concept – n. an idea of what something is or how it works
ingredient – n. one of the things that are used to make a food, product, etc.
overcome – v. to successfully deal with or gain control of (something difficult)
phrase – n. a group of two or more words that express a single idea but do not usually form a complete sentence
(Download MP3, Mirror) English learners can improve their ability to remember and use new words by testing themselves.
This idea comes from Sarah Lynn, an educational consultant and teacher at Harvard University's Bridge Program.
She adds that self-testing improves retrieval – the ability to use and remember new words. Beyond improving the learner's ability to retrieve information, self-testing improves the learner's confidence, too.
Background
If you are like many learners, you may have faced a situation such as this one:
Person 1: Hey! Did you study the new English grammar lesson?
Person 2: No, I don't need to. I already know that topic.
[The day after the test]
Person 1: Hey! How did you do on the English grammar test?
Person 2: I don't want to talk about it. I thought I knew the lesson…
This dialogue shows a common situation: Language learners think they understand a topic. Yet when asked to use what they learned, they are not able to remember the information.
Not being able to retrieve new ideas could happen on a test or even in a conversation. The basic problem is this: Learners did not learn something as well as they thought they did.
Learning takes effort. It takes effort because the learning process changes the brain, says Sarah Lynn.
One way it changes the brain is by creating connections. These connections, which we discussed in previous education stories, are called dendrites.
Lynn suggests that dendrite connections are important for retrieval.
There are three main ideas about how to grow dendrites and improve retrieval, says Lynn.
We covered the first two ideas – making connections and using repetition – in previous education stories.
The third method to grow dendrite connections is to test yourself.
Lynn is not the only expert who recommends self-testing.
A paper in the Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition tells about the benefits of testing yourself.*
The paper says one benefit of testing practice is that it improves retrieval. Retrieving information once makes retrieving that information easier in the future.
In addition, the paper says, when students test themselves as part of studying, they learn what they do not know. When students know what they do not understand, they can pay attention to improving their weaknesses.
Close the book
Lynn recommends that learners test themselves by getting away from what they are studying. Then, they should test themselves by thinking about what they have learned.
She recommends that learners make themselves write or speak something. Lynn suggests reading something or watching a video on the topic, then summarizing it. This will allow learners to test what they know:
"But actually, if you close the book, or turn off the YouTube video, and then write down, or audio record yourself of what you remember, and then you go back, and you see what it is, that's when you really begin to construct your own understanding of the new knowledge. And you begin to organize it, and control it, and eventually master it."
The benefits of such practice, Lynn says, are not just about improving your ability to remember information. By testing yourself, you can build confidence in the skills you have developed.
When you test yourself, Lynn says, you will see how much progress you have made. This progress will satisfy and encourage you to do more in the future.
What can you do?
#1 Make flashcards
The next time you are studying English, try to test yourself. A simple way to test vocabulary is to create flashcards with clues on one side and the answer on the back.
Flashcards in the past were small cards or pieces of paper with a word or a question on one side and the meaning or answer to the question on the other side. Students used them to quiz each other or quiz themselves to review for examinations.
Now, many online services allow students to create digital flashcards.
One such service is Quizlet, where learners can do a variety of activities based on one set of new words or information. You can match words and meanings, write a word after looking at a picture, or listen to a word and write it. You can also play games with the new words and meanings.
#2 Ask yourself questions
Another way is to ask yourself questions at the end of the day, at the end of a study session, or at other times. Lynn recommends that learners ask questions such as, "What did I learn today? What were those words I thought were interesting? What was that verb tense I learned? How does it work?"
The important point is this: Effective learning takes time, effort and practice.
Do not just assume that you can read something once or twice and fully understand it. Even if you highlight important points or take notes in a class, you probably do not fully understand what you learned.
After all, Olympic athletes cannot learn how to swim or run just from reading a book. They have to practice swimming or running every day for years. They often compete in races to test their skills. Like those athletes, successful language learners practice as much as they can, and test themselves to improve their skills.
Self-testing is one way to improve your retrieval and inform your future course of study. Give it a try, and let us know how it works for you.
I'm John Russell.
John Russell wrote this story for Learning English. Kelly Jean Kelly was the editor.
*Roediger III, Henry L. and Pyc, Mary A. Inexpensive techniques to improve education: Applying cognitive psychology to enhance educational practice. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition 1 (2012) 242-248.
