3. Estrategias para recordar el vocabulario

In any language an extensive vocabulary is directly correlated with communication success. It is important to realize that you are the one responsible for learning the vocabulary. Your goal should be a deep processing of words. Deep processing implies that these words become part of you, almost as your native language is part of you.

While they are not required of each word that you see, we recommend you write flashcards for the words that you have difficulty recalling. Flashcards are also helpful to help you remember verbs and any patterns for verb conjugations that you will learn.

Why use flash cards.

• • Flash-card technology is still better than the most expensive educational computer gear that you can buy.
  • It is the quickest way to get just the repetition that you need on just the words that you need to repeat.
  • It is so simple: it is tried and true.

1. Visualize and vocalize: We all know that a picture is worth a thousand words, you can facilitate the recall of vocabulary by using drawings, stickers, pictures, etc. To help our memory we will use the color red for the Spanish words. Red is a very emotionally intense color. It enhances human metabolism, increases respiration rate, and raises blood pressure. It has very high visibility; which is why stop signs, stoplights, and fire equipment are usually painted in red.
2. Visualize by imagination and vocalize: Meditate on an image that the word represents or suggests as you say it aloud. If you see a house, say: “casa”, if you see a dog say “perro”, if you pass in front of the cafeteria say: “cafetería.”
3. Use the diglot weave method to practice: Insert palabras en español into English sentences, until you get their meanings quickly. For example: el perro = dog, so repeat to yourself several sentences like: El perro is a nice pet. She loves her perro. Your perro is a puppy.
4. Repeat, repeat, and repeat again: Especially for learning important parts and forms of words, sometimes only repetition will secure your deep learning for certain hard-to-retain items. Frequent vocal repetition impresses the forms on your “mental ear.” If we want to be able to communicate, we need to say words, but also we need to listen and understand the words when the other person speaks. That is the reason why we need to work with our “mental ear”.

Keeping in mind this advice, make sure to review the vocabulary that was in the first book of Yo Puedo. We encourage you to print the lists of vocabulary that you will find in our online platform. The design of these lists is to help you to practice and remember the vocabulary that you need to know. Fold the page in half and test yourself on your knowledge of the words de español al inglés. Unfold the page and check your answers. Keep practicing until you are confident of them all then try the section inglés al español by folding the paper in half and quiz yourself. Unfold the paper again to check your answers.