Spaced repetition of English words

Forgetting curve

Before you know the spaced repetition scheme, you should understand the reason for its importance. This applies to any information, but we are interested in English, so we will consider specific examples. There are many ways to learn English words. Many students boast that they learn hundreds of new expressions every day, but this does nothing to improve their speaking and listening comprehension. Therefore, so many people complain about the years spent studying the language without results. After Pimsleur's research, the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus continued his experiments with memory and discovered the mystery why it makes no sense to study a subject the night before an exam.

According to his reports, forgetting occurs:

• about 40% of information in the first 20 minutes;
• more than 50% after 1 hour;
• about 70% in a day.

After trying to memorize the novel in several ways, he concluded that he memorized it 9 times faster and more efficiently using the spaced repetition method.

Experienced English teachers know that one or even two lessons is not enough for a student to memorize new vocabulary. Since immediately after the lesson, half of the learned words will be automatically forgotten. The number of touches with vocabulary by any means is important. To remember a word, you need to meet it at least 15 times.

How often do you repeat words to remember them?

Pimsleur recommended repeating words 11 times. His conclusions are that repetitions are needed after 30 minutes, in the morning of the next day; after three days; later: a week, a month, three months, six months and a year. Frequent encounters with unfamiliar phrases in English are necessary to create and strengthen new neural connections.

Now the study of English words by the method of spaced repetition looks like this:

1. 20-30 minutes after the first touch;
2. after 8 hours;
3. after 1 day;
4. in 3 days;
5. after 10 days;
6. after 1 month;
7. in 3 months.

The most difficult thing here is a systematic approach and discipline. And if your students are still writing out words in a notebook that is never opened, then now you know that this method does not work.

Leitner Method

The very first way to organize such repetitions and make them systemic was invented by the journalist Sebastian Leitner. The technique still works today and is suitable for those who find spaced repetition app useless. Prepare small boxes and cards with new words. Boxes can be from 3 to 5. Each of them is signed in accordance with the repetition period.

For example:

1. once a day;
2. in one day;
3. once a week;
4. once in two weeks;
5. in a month.

The point is to take cards with phrases and repeat them starting from the first "box". Those that are remembered are put aside in the second pile, and those that cause difficulties are left there. Thus, learned flashcards will occur less and less, but on a certain basis. And you can spend more time on problematic expressions, and not spend it on all the words in a row. This method is associated with logical memory, which ensures the memorization and use of information in various interpretations.

Word memorization apps

Progress does not stand still, and thanks to computers and other "gadgets" we have the opportunity to simplify the technique of Sebastian Leitner. We have prepared for you a selection of the best applications in which the program ensures the repetition of words on an interval basis.

• Anki is one of the most famous in the world for learning foreign words. The cards are sorted by topic. Lots of examples in context for better understanding;
• Mnemosyne has a small set of features, but they are enough for basic operations;
• SuperMemo is gaining popularity among polyglots and provides the ability to work with hearing and pronunciation;
• Tinycards are especially popular with young learners due to their accessible and colorful interface;
• LinguaLeo is known for a personal dictionary for each user and a large set of functions for working with new words;
• Flashcards + allows you to synchronize words from different devices and work with other people's cards in addition to your own;
• Quizlet is the favorite tool of all English teachers. A simple interface without unnecessary buttons and the ability to connect to any set of cards by invitation. Suitable for preparing for exams, as it contains several functions for working with vocabulary.

These programs allow teachers to make their own flashcards for each student. This is a definite plus, since many platforms offer already existing phrases in the dictionary. But what's the point if they don't meet the student's needs? An experienced teacher understands that simply learned translation and meaning of phrases will not give the desired result. Therefore, it is in our interests to use any manifestations of the word in speech. Increase the number and variability of touches. Many applications have the ability to add pictures, video or audio fragment. It's much more interesting than just reading expressions and their definitions.

Take the time of your studies to consolidate some phrases. Start the lesson with a warm up. Offer several voiceovers of sentences with new vocabulary and ask the student to match them. Come up with questions for the speaking part, in which the same phrases will sound. The student will unconsciously encounter the information being studied, and he will not have a feeling of fatigue from learning.

Disciplined students can increase the effectiveness of memorization on their own. Ask them to record new phrases or even whole thoughts and sentences on a tape recorder. After that, they need to listen to these recordings on a regular basis in their free time. In this case, they will be able to use auditory memory.

Conclusion

Replenishment of vocabulary in English is considered a labor-intensive process. But it will cease to be painful and boring if the training is properly organized. Repetition is 80% success. In any sport, the champion tries to repeat the combination of successful actions that will lead him to victory. And constant training on a regular basis is the root of the result.

How not to lose motivation to learn a language halfway through:

• use what you have learned in real life, chatting with a friend or answering questions from a teacher;
• make notes of videos or audios listened to in English;
• read the social networks of interesting people and notice new and familiar expressions.

The spaced repetition method of English phrases is of value to anyone who is interested in the ability to have an interesting and flexible conversation in the language. One of the techniques of mnemonics, which helps to think not in individual letters and syllables, but in whole images. Therefore, it is important to add as much information as possible flashcards

But why would just a learned list of single words be inefficient:

• the phrase contains grammar that will be intuitive;
• expressions are easier to inject into a conversation, since the context is already there;
• in phrases there are prepositions, articles that facilitate the process of remembering collocations.

People study English with a teacher just so as not to cram all the words in a row from A to Z. Therefore, the task of a foreign language teacher is to clearly understand which expressions the student needs and which are not. Not only the level of proficiency is important, but also personal qualities, abilities and the type of memorization. The TEFL / TESOL online course has a whole section that helps beginners and experienced teachers understand how to present vocabulary in the classroom. Follow the link to get the opportunity to purchase a course with a 50% discount and improve your professional skills. We'd love to hear your thoughts on the spaced repetition method in the comments.