Being able to quickly remember new words and their correct meaning is a powerful skill to develop.
For those of you who may have only joined my blog recently, I am memorizing a dictionary. Command of words is important to me and as someone who loves learning but is dyslexic, it’s an area I’d like to grow in. It is also natural as we age to find it harder to recall the right word. Thankfully this is something we can work on.
I hate the feeling of not having the right word at my disposal to accurately explain what I’m trying to convey. It also frustrates me when I read or hear something and I know I’ve missed the full meaning because there are words I don’t know. And learning language has a snowball effect – the more you learn, the easier it is to learn the next thing.
So, as a memory coach how do I go about remembering new words?
By following these 3 steps. As you’ll see in the example below these steps are not rigid but included here in full for completeness.
Step 1: Look up the word, write it out, think about it
Make sure you understand what the definition means. Check that you understand the full meaning of all the words used in the definition. You may like to look up the etymology or origin of the word.
Think about the intention of your learning
Do you want to be able to use it in speech? If so make sure you look up how to pronounce it if unsure. Do you need to be able to spell it? Take note of any tricky parts and notice that your memorization focus may need to be here. Do you need to know the definition word-for-word, or just have the general idea of it?
Make the definition succinct
If you don’t need to memorize the definition word-for-word then see if you can write out a shorter meaning to memorize.
Step 2: Memorize the word and its definition using mnemonics
There’s an example coming up after step 3 to explain this in more detail.
Here you are aiming to join together an image for the word and another image (or story) for the meaning. Ideally the mnemonic you create also has relevance to the actual word and meaning.
Difficulty with spelling or how it sounds
If it is a word that is difficult to spell or pronounce and you want to focus on that, then add information to the above mnemonic to assist (also see example).
Ideally don’t over complicate these images/story. There will be some spaced repetition and sometimes it is better to just have a simple hook.
Say the word and definition out a few times while looking at the story in your head.
Step 3: Practice spaced repetition, to ensure long term learning
Mnemonics are great for memorizing information faster in the short term. It is an efficient way to create new links and associations that lead to greater success in long term learning. But that doesn’t mean you don’t need to go back over new information to ensure it sticks around.
So what can you do with all the new words you have memorised to make sure you keep them in the longer run?
My favorite way to deal with this is to use a flashcard program that tells me what I need to review and when
Anki is a fantastic tool. You can have it on your PC as a web version or a PC application, and also as an app on your phone. And all your accounts sync.
I will soon complete a more in-depth blog and video on using Anki, but in short – you add a new word into a ‘deck’ of ‘flashcards’. One ‘card’ for each word and its definition. For words, you name the deck something ingenious like “New words”. I have decks for all sorts of information I have learned.
Then the word on the front of the card is shown and you try to remember the definition. Tap the card to flip it over to the other side to see the definition, then select how easily the answer came to you. Based on your response Anki sets the card due to be shown to you again at an appropriate time interval. When a card is new, it could be shown again later that day but if it is easy for you or an older card it may not be shown again for a few days, weeks or months.
The nice thing about Anki is that you know you won’t lose your hard-earned learning. You don’t need to stress that you will forget something you already learned, and worry about when you should optimally go back over it. An app backed by learning science has your back (pardon the pun).
Most days I check my Anki app on my phone to see what is due for review and run through everything it shows me. It only takes a couple of minutes a day, or longer if I’ve just added lots of new learning.
Ok, Let’s take an example
Yesterday I came across the word putative.
Step 1
Definition of Putative : commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed.
Here is my thought processing as I look up the definition of putative. Note that everyone will come up with different stories, unique to their own past associations.
For simplicity in this blog I will remember the general idea of the meaning rather than the word-for-word definition. Note that word-for-word memorizing uses the same technique but has more images and a longer story.
I think I understand what the definition means and how to use it in context. I’m not sure how to say it but looking it up find out it is pyoo·tuh·tiv.
Step 2
The pronunciation of pyoo instantly reminds me of either the metal pewter or the Warner Bros cartoon character of the skunk Pepé Le Pew.
Thinking about the images that pop to mind, and in context to the meaning I choose Pepé le pew as a story begins to grow in my mind. I see the skunk character and I note that he is commonly regarded as smelling (being a skunk).
In my mind I grow out this image/story to see this as me leaning into Pepé and sniffing and then nodding and confirming to some group that just as it is reputed, supposed or commonly regarded, Pepé does indeed smell.
Ok, what about the sounds tuh and tiv, and the spelling? The tuh and tiv I know will come with a bit of spaced repetition. If I find it doesn’t then in a couple of days I will “edit” my image story to help. This is best done later as often it is not needed, and even when needed it is easier to add after the word is “nearly learnt”. Adding too many images at once can make things confusing.
To remember the spelling of the word, spaced repetition will help here too. Because of my dyslexia I will add a spelling focus to the image as well. For this I first try to anticipate what part I am likely to get wrong. I think it will be the putative part (not spelt pew). I go on to slightly adjust the image story I have made to see pepe le pew standing on putty. The story has the same ending – I lean in and nod and as is supposed Pepé does smell.
Now I just look away from the word and its definition and try to say it out loud a few times (while viewing the image and story in my head for reference). I also spell it out. Don’t worry if this still feels a bit wobbly.
Step 3
Add the world and definition into the Anki flashcard program and don’t worry about it further. As long as you review what Anki prompts each day, you’ve got this.
On the front of the Anki “card” is the prompt – the word putative. On the back of the card is the prompt and the answer – putative (pronounced pyoo·tuh·tiv): commonly regarded as such; reputed; supposed
Tomorrow when Anki shows me this new word card, it offers just see the front. From the word putative, I try to recall the image and story to get the definition. When I then show then answer, I select if remembering it was hard, good or easy, which the Anki algorithm uses to decide how soon I need to see this word again.
And that’s it.
How many words can a person remember like this?
It is possible to remember hundreds of new words quickly like this (or even a dictionary over time). Like all things, you will get better and quicker at is as you practice.
My YouTube video Remember new words has more details and 4 further examples. You might also like Learn SAT words Fast. Should you want to dive into a memory course to help with words my Master Your Memory one is best.
