UNIT 11 CHAPTER 2 Words to Remember

Before You Read A How good is your memory for the following things? Check (.!) the
What Do You Remember?
boxes that apply.
/
Poor So-so Good Excellent
1 people's names
2 how to get to places
3 people's faces
4 telephone numbers
5 meetings and appointments
6 song lyrics
7 the taste of foods
\..8 vocabulary

B Discuss your answers in A with a partner. Why do you think it is easier

to remember some things than others? How do you think this affects
the way you learn?

Reading Skill A Read the following questions, then scan the passage on the next page
Scanning to find the answers. Write short answers.
1 How many methods of memory enhancement are outlined in the
passage?

2 What is the meaning of the word mnemonics in line 11?

3 What images might be used to represent the word tremendous?

4 To use the loci method, what do you need to visualize?

5 When using the grouping method, what can you be creative about?

B Discuss your answers in A with a partner.

C Now read the entire passage carefully. Then answer the questions on
page 197.

194 UNIT 11 Chapter 2

 How many English words do you need to know in
order to be considered fluent? Experts disagree
on the exact number of words learners need to
know to achieve fluency in a new language, but
5 they generally agree that you need to know at least
several thousand. Many language learners have at
some point wished that they could simply insert a a disease-free brain (top) and a brain affected
by Alzheimer's disease (bottom)
computer chip into their memories containing all
the vocabulary of the target language. Although that isn't yet feasible, with training, the
10 potential of the human memory can be unlocked. Many teachers suggest accelerating
the vocabulary-building process by using mnemonics.
Simply put, mnemonics are methods used to help remember information that is otherwise
difficult to recall. There are a wide variety of methods and different ones work better for
different people, depending on their learning styles. The loci method is a primarily visual
15 system of remembering things. The association method encourages people to link target
words to memorable images and utilize their senses. The grouping method works well for
people who are good at linking concepts and organizing ideas together.

The loci method

This method is very useful for remembering lists of words. Before using this method,
20 it is necessary to visualize a path that you know well, such as the way to school or
to work. Next, looking at your list of words, you'll need to create an image for each
word, ideally one that is vivid and memorable. For example, for the word "accelerate,"
you might choose the image of a race car; an image for the word "enormous" might
be a dinosaur. Creating these images may take a little practice. Then, imagine yourself
25 walking down your path and put the images you associated with the words at certain

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Words to Remember 195

 common landmarks, like seeing a race car at the convenience store, a dinosaur in
the park, etc. Finally, put away the list and move along the path in your r:nind again,
recalling as many words as you can.

The association method

30 To commit a word to memory, it can help to associate it with an image that is
memorable in some way-colorful, funny, embarrassing, beautiful, etc. For example,
if you are trying to remember the meaning of the word "tremendous," you might
associate it with tremendously large trees and men. This image is connected to the
word not only in meaning, but also in the sound of the first two syllables of the word.
35 Say the word "tremendous", and you hear "tree" and "men." This pairing of meaning,
sound, and images can help you memorize new words more quickly.

The grouping method

Try to memorize the following words: radio, pencil, index card, notebook, book, marker,
magazine, newspaper, stereo, pen, MP3 player, paper. These words are meaningless on
4o their own. But try dividing the list up into smaller groups (things you write with, things
you write on, things you read, and things you listen to) and you'll probably find that you
are able to recollect more words. When you encounter word lists that aren't so clearly
divisible, you may need to be creative about categorizing the words.
What these three methods of memorization have in common is the idea of active
50 learning. While it is certainly possible to absorb a great deal of information by just
listening or reading, there is no guarantee that the information will remain in your
memory in the future. We've looked at just a few of the many types of mnemonic
devices that can be applied by language learners. In the end, it really depends on
your own learning style and how you best retain information. Why not try a variety of
50 methods and find the ones that work best for you?

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196 UNIT 11 Chapter 2

A Choose the correct answers for the following questions. Reading
1 What does the sentence Many language learners ... the target language Comprehension
(lines 6-9) mean? Check Your Understanding
a Many learners want to use the computer to learn vocabulary.
b Many learners wish it was easier to learn vocabulary.
c Our brains are like computers; memories are like computer chips.
2 Which statement about the loci method is NOT true?
a You need to think about a path you are familiar with.
b You need to be able to associate words with images.
c You need to think about how to categorize words.
3 What is a potential problem with the grouping method?
a Some word lists might be difficult to classify.
b It may be hard to come up with striking images for words.
c It may be hard to link syllables in the word to its meaning.
4 According to the article, how are these methods different from learning
by listening or reading?
a They require the learner to actively process words.
b They help the learner to understand words better.
c They encourage the learner to speak words more often.
5 What is another possible title for the article?
a Why Memorizing Doesn't Work
b The Future of Active Learning
c Three Types of Mnemonics
B Read the following sentences. Check (v") whether they are true (T) or
false (F).
/
T F '
1 Vocabulary is important in language learning.
2 Most people have the potential to improve their
memory.
3 The association method encourages people to use
their senses.
4 The grouping method advises people to categorize
items.
5 Learning by reading and listening is a good way to
remember things in the long-term.
6 Not all mnemonic devices are suitable for all people.

C Discuss the following questions with a partner. Critical Thinking

1 Have you used any of these methods in the classroom? Would you want
to be taught to use these methods? Why, or why not?
2 Do you know of other methods to remember vocabulary or study better?

Words to Remember 197