How to Enrich Your English Vocabulary

You likely have been trying to figure out how to enrich your English vocabulary, no matter what level you are.

While many people now use phone apps to get on top of new vocabulary, some have gone back to using flashcards and notebooks. In this month’s language lab, Kevin provides some tips on using a notebook, while I share some interesting research findings into the benefits of using pen and paper for vocabulary acquisition.

Proven Benefits of Writing by Hand

As most of us spend much of our days on screen it is fascinating to discover that using pen and paper has scientifically proven learning benefits. Several studies highlight that writing down new knowledge improves its acquisition and retention.

In one study, children delivered essays of much better quality when penning them by hand.

Researchers examining the use of notebooks in vocabulary learning and retention concluded:

The group which kept vocabulary notebooks performed better than the other group especially in terms of the second part of the test requiring the participants to use their productive vocabulary.

Vocabulary notebooks can make a significant contribution to learners’ productive academic vocabulary if the problems with time and strategy training are solved and it is incorporated to the curriculum from the very beginningof the academic year.

In other words, students must learn how to record vocabulary in a notebook and reap optimum benefits.

Go Buy a Notebook and Bring It with You Wherever You Go

Don’t just take down new vocabulary during class. Buy a good-size notebook that fits into your bag and bring it everywhere. That way, you can revise vocabulary already recorded or take down words or expressions you hear in passing.

Supposing you are at a business conference. Listen actively and if you pick up new and important terms or phrases take a mental note and record them in your notebook the first chance you get.

Language and vocabulary are all around you whatever your level. Be observant, read notice boards, menus, roadsigns – any new word, take it down. You can look up new words later and write a definition beside your words or phrases.

And with your notebook in your pocket or bag at all times you can revise anywhere, be that stuck in traffic, over a frothy cappuccino, or while lazing on a tropical beach.

Kevin’s Vocabulary Notebook Guide

Our own ESL teacher, Kevin Kennedy has put together a few simple tips on maximising the benefits of using a notebook to expand your vocabulary.

Divide Your Notebook into Sections

• The front of your notebook is for ordinary vocabulary, word transformation, and synonyms. Put the original word down first, following it with the transformations, for example; happy, happiness or lazy, laziness, lazy around. Watch out for prefixes and suffixes like ‘re’, ‘ism’, ‘tion’ and discover how they transform a word and expand your vocabulary.
• Dedicate one section of your notebook to phrasal verbs, writing them down side-by-side with definitions and sample sentences. Don’t forget to distinguish separable and inseparable phrasal verbs.
• You can also section your notebook into topics, dedicating one to the weather, another to emotions, and another to your favourite pastime.

Handling Business English

Notebooks can also work wonders when broadening your professional English vocabulary. Notebook in hand, attend your conference or meeting and take down essential terminology and phrases as you progress. Here are some additional tips:

• Create a mini-dictionary by sectioning your notebook into categories such as finance, marketing, sales, IT, technology, and human resources – whichever are relevant to your job.
• Use your notebook while reading job-specific literature.
• Listen and read actively during professional communications, recording new words and sentences.

Immerse Yourself and Take Notes

When figuring out how to enrich your English vocabulary, you will soon discover that any resource in English is a source of new vocabulary. Once in your notebook, you can revise and absorb so that when the opportunity arises, you will have a vast pool of words and phrases to draw from.

Books, movies, videos, newspapers, you name it, they are all jam-packed with vocab to master. And remember, the process of writing by hand deepens your learning.