How to Memorize Words in a Foreign Language 5 Rock Solid Techniques

How to Memorize Words in a Foreign Language 5 Rock Solid Techniques How to Memorize Words in a Foreign Language: 5 Rock Solid Techniques Want to memorize a ton of vocabulary?Youll need to channel your inner elephant.(You dont need to walk on all fours or find the nearest watering hole.)You just need some techniques to build up your memory so its as strong as an elephants.And its easier than you might think.Your  memory  is kind of like a muscle. You need to exercise it regularly so it stays strong. The more you flex it, the more powerful itll become. With the right strategies, plus consistent hard work, youll be able to memorize foreign language vocabulary efficiently and long-term.But before I point you to some of those effective strategies, let’s take a closer look at how memory works from a language learning perspective. How Your Brain Stores New WordsMemories are the result of our brains encoding information  so we can access it later. Psychologists have suggested that this process takes place in three stages: encoding, storage and retrieval. For language learners, understanding these three stages can help you maximize your own vocabulary memorization.Stage one, encoding, can occur through pictures, sound or meaning. In other words, you can remember a new vocabulary word through seeing it, hearing it or learning its definition. Both longterm and short term memory use all three of these routes to encode information.The second stage, storage, involves holding information for a short or extended period of time. Most adults keep only a few items in their short term memory at once, while longterm memory has a much larger, perhaps unlimited, capacity. For learning a new language, we obviously want to hold vocabulary in our longterm memory.The third stage, retrieval, is also crucialâ€"youll never remember a foreign word if you cant pull it out of memory storage. The key here is that longterm memory works by association, meaning the organization and context of information is key to retrieving it. This principle underlies several of the vocabulary memorization tips well cover below.So now that we know how memory works, let’s talk about some ways to improve your memorization.How to Memorize Words in a Foreign Language: 5 Rock Solid Techniques1. Set a Schedule for Daily PracticeEver wonder how musicians memorize their music? They play it over and over again, sometimes  breaking it up until they can play a piece seamlessly. It’s a process, but it pays off on stage.  Language is like that tooâ€"it needs to be used repetitively.To make this as easy as possible, set a schedule so that vocabulary practice becomes a natural part of your day-to-day routine. If youre a morning person, plan half an hour before you get dressed every day. If youve got a long work schedule, try to take time during your lunch break.It can also be helpful to build rewards into your schedule so you have incentives to stick with it. For example, you can treat yourself to a guilty pleasure snack after a full week of daily practice.2. Group New Words by ThemeCreate lists of similar words grouped by theme o r category. For example, you might make lists of color words, types of food, verbs for physical actions, etc. in your target language.Organizing words  into categories breaks down the much longer list of vocabulary into easier to memorize chunks. As noted above, creating these types of associations is key to cementing new words in your longterm memory.  I personally like to write themed word lists vertically on a sheet of paper, with the English translations on  the opposite side.Aside from creating connections in your memory, this technique can also boost your motivation to memorize new words. By giving yourself small, manageable lists to work with, you wont get overwhelmed or burned out so easily.3. Use Old School and New School FlashcardsWhile they may seem old school, flashcards are a great way to drill new target language words into  your brain. Theyre simple, customizable and easy to use. All you need are some pieces  of paper or index cards and a pen. I personally like to use two different colors of inkâ€"one for the English and  one for the foreign language.This exercise works even better if you say the word aloud as your run your cards, to help with memorization and  pronunciation in one go.Are you more of a tech-savvy language learner? There are plenty of cool digital flashcard options, too:Quizlet  allows you to create and use your own flashcards online or search for existing flashcard sets. That means its a perfect tool both for drilling a specific word set or testing yourself on overall vocabulary knowledge.To find relevant flashcards, just type your target language in the search bar on top of the homepage. Best of all, you can take your cards anywhere since Quizlet also has mobile apps.The app and website  StudyBlue  functions in a similar way, with more than 400 million flashcards and study tools already uploaded. Theses range from high school to college to the professional level. And if you cant find exactly what youre looking for, you can crea te your own cards, for free!4. Learn in Authentic Contexts with FluentUWhich do you think is easier: memorizing a series of random words and translations, or memorizing words used in real-life, entertaining videos?Probably the latter, right? It just makes sense that when were engaged with words and hearing them in authentic contexts, theyll stick in our brains better. And thats what FluentU is all about.FluentU is an innovative tool where you can watch real target language videos, like movie trailers, funny YouTube clips and inspiring talks, which have been transformed into a language learning experience. Each video comes with interactive captions you can click to get a definition, pronunciation and visual learning aid for any word you dont recognize.After you watch a video, youll get tailor-made flashcards and exercises to make sure you retain the new words youve just encountered.FluentU videos are created for all learning levels from beginner to advanced. Plus, FluentU remembers w hat youve watched and suggests more videos based on that info, creating a truly personalized experience.And like any great language tool, you can take it anywhere! With the FluentU mobile app for iOS or Android devices  you can watch new videos and practice vocabulary while youre on your lunch break, at line at the bank, etc.All while absorbing your target language the way native speakers really use it!5. Use Your Words!Challenge yourself to use the words youre memorizing as often as possible in real-life situations. By using them in context, youll not only remember them better, theyll also feel more relevant to you in your journey to fluency.After using flashcards, I like to challenge myself. Ill try writing a paragraph or letter with my new vocabulary (and without using my lists or a dictionary). Ill also record myself using my phone, just talking on a random topic, and try to incorporate a handful of new words.Better yet, to make sure youre actually using new words the right way, try to work them into conversation with a language exchange partner or in a post on a language discussion forum.Testing yourself like this is a way to put all the practice time to work, and when it goes right, itll boost your confidence to use your target language with a native speaker.Memorization in a foreign language is the steep part of the language learning mountain. Once  you find some strategies that work for you, the process becomes smoother. Set time aside, even a  coffee break, to work through your lists or flashcards, either paper or online.Using a new language to communicate with others is a challenge worth the effort. Once we have a handle on the grammar, pronunciation and vocabulary, we need a boost of confidence to use our new skill. Practicing and building up a strong memory can do that for you.