What techniques are there to help you remember for longer?
You are likely to have tried Post-it notes on your bathroom mirror, on an empty wall, on your computer screen or wardrobe door.
You might also be a whizz at mnemonics. Or you are keen to expand freshly learned words or phrases with different materials.
That’s when you might have started listening to songs and podcasts, watching YouTube videos, reading blogs and Easy Readers, chatting with natives or other fellow learners across the globe.
There is no doubt that these do wonders for your learning. So hats off to you!
However what else could you do?
Well, my prescription is…. the FIVE A DAY! Gee, that doesn’t sound like fun and you are probably thinking “no way Jose!”.
But just think of FIVE SMALL ACTIONS you could do throughout the day.
The principle is to focus on one word or phrase at a time and choose a variety of actions to be performed during the day to boost your chances of learning. Remember that variety is key.
Here is an example of a FIVE A DAY:
1. Listen briefly to a podcast, radio programme, etc. and pin down a word.
2. Check the word in the dictionary.
3. Write a small sentence with the new word.
4. Phone/text a friend or relative and tell them the word you’ve learned!
5. Say the new word out loud three times before going to bed.
Alternatively, you can pick up a random word from your course book or any other book. Instead of checking the word in the dictionary, you might like the idea of posting it on social media and ask for help. If you don’t take kindly to writing whole sentences, why don’t you pick up an entire sentence from a book, use it as a model and just replace one or two words?
Just be creative. It is recommended that you plan your FIVE A DAY the day before.
Was this useful?
What other small FIVE A DAY actions can you think of?
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