How to Learn English Vocabulary to Become a Better English Speaker

Summary

In this engaging Deep English lesson, Teela shares three effective strategies for learning and remembering new vocabulary. She emphasizes the importance of relevance, suggesting learners connect new words to their personal goals and daily life. Teela advises against overwhelming oneself with too many words at once, recommending a manageable 10-15 words daily to maintain a relaxed learning state. Her standout tip involves using word associations and crafting stories, which leverages the power of narrative to enhance memorability and emotional engagement, making vocabulary learning more enjoyable and efficient.

Takeaways

• 📚 The first tip is to make new vocabulary relevant to your life for easier learning.
• 💡 Reconnect with your original motivation for learning English to find practical vocabulary.
• 🤔 Imagine scenarios where you would use English and identify the words you need to learn in those situations.
• 🚫 Avoid the stress of trying to memorize a large number of words daily; aim for a more manageable number like 10-15 words.
• 🧘‍♂️ Stay relaxed when learning new words to keep the brain functioning optimally.
• 📖 Use word associations and stories to make learning new vocabulary more memorable and engaging.
• 🔗 Create stories that link new words with familiar ones, like associating 'cuddle' with 'puddle'.
• 🕵️‍♂️ For words like 'agenda', create a narrative involving a secret agent to help remember its meaning.
• 🌳 Use mnemonic devices with words that sound similar, such as 'elementary' and 'lemon tree', to craft memorable stories.
• 🎭 Engage your emotions and body in the learning process by using stories that are interesting and meaningful.
• 🔗 Subscribe to Deep English for free lessons that utilize storytelling to enhance vocabulary learning.

Q & A

What is the main topic of the lesson presented by Teela in the transcript?

The main topic of the lesson is learning and remembering new vocabulary in English.

What is Teela's first tip for learning new vocabulary?

Teela's first tip is to make the new information relevant to one's life, as it's easier to learn new English words when they are useful in one's own life.

How does Teela suggest reconnecting with the reason for learning English?

Teela suggests taking a moment to think about why one originally wanted to learn English and then imagining oneself in that context to identify the vocabulary needed for those situations.

What is the second tip Teela provides for learning vocabulary?

The second tip is not to stress oneself by trying to memorize a large number of words daily, but rather to set a manageable goal, such as learning 10 to 15 words a day.

Why is it not recommended to try to memorize too many words at once according to Teela?

Memorizing too many words at once can stress the nervous system, which in turn stresses the brain and can cause the parts of the brain responsible for learning to shut down.

What is Teela's third and best tip for learning new vocabulary?

Teela's third tip is to use word associations, particularly through storytelling, as it gives the brain something to latch onto and makes learning easier.

Can you provide an example of a word association story from the transcript?

One example is the story about two snowmen who fell in love and cuddled, melting into a puddle of love, which helps remember the word 'cuddle'.

How does Teela suggest remembering the word 'agenda'?

Teela suggests associating 'agenda' with 'agent' and creating a story about a secret agent keeping the details of the agenda secret until a meeting.

What is the significance of using stories when learning new vocabulary according to Teela?

Using stories engages emotions and the whole body, making the learning process more effective as it's not just intellectual but also emotional and physical.

How does Teela encourage viewers to access more free lessons from Deep English?

Teela encourages viewers to subscribe below the video or click on the provided link to find and access free lessons at the end of the video.

What are the three main ways Teela suggests to remember vocabulary as summarized at the end of the lesson?

The three main ways are: 1) Remembering why you wanted to learn English and making new vocabulary relevant to your life, 2) Not stressing out by trying to learn too many new words, and 3) Learning new words in story form.

Outlines

00:00

📘 Learning Vocabulary Relevance

Teela introduces the lesson on learning and remembering new vocabulary by emphasizing the importance of relevance to one's life. She suggests reconnecting with the personal reasons for learning English and imagining oneself in relevant scenarios to identify necessary vocabulary. Teela provides an example of a nanny needing to communicate life-saving techniques in English, illustrating how to note and learn new words in context. She stresses the ease of memory retention when words are useful and relevant, making them more likely to be remembered.

05:01

📝 Stress-Free Vocabulary Learning

In the second paragraph, Teela offers advice against overwhelming oneself with the goal of memorizing a large number of words daily, such as 100, which can be counterproductive. Instead, she recommends a more relaxed approach with a manageable number of words, like 10 to 15 per day, to avoid stress that can hinder the learning process. Teela highlights the importance of setting achievable goals to keep the brain relaxed and open to learning.

📚 Creative Storytelling for Vocabulary

The final paragraph focuses on the technique of using word associations and storytelling to aid in vocabulary retention. Teela explains that learning words through stories makes them more memorable by giving the brain a narrative to connect with. She provides examples of creating stories around words like 'cuddle', 'agenda', and 'elementary', using similar-sounding words or personal experiences to craft memorable narratives. Teela emphasizes the effectiveness of stories in engaging emotions and the whole person in the learning process, making vocabulary recall more natural and intuitive.

Keywords

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary refers to the set of words known to a person or used in a language. In the context of the video, it is the collection of English words that learners aim to acquire. The script emphasizes the importance of learning vocabulary that is relevant to one's life, which aids in better retention and understanding.

💡Relevant

Relevant means closely connected or appropriate to the matter at hand. The video script suggests that learning new English words becomes easier when they are relevant to the learner's personal life or goals, such as becoming a nanny in New York City, which makes the vocabulary more meaningful and memorable.

💡Stress

Stress, in this context, refers to the pressure or tension that can negatively affect the learning process. The script advises against setting overly ambitious goals like memorizing 100 words a day, as it can induce stress and hinder the brain's ability to effectively learn and remember new information.

💡Word Associations

Word associations involve linking new words to existing knowledge or creating connections that facilitate memory retention. The video script highlights this technique by suggesting that learners create stories or mnemonic devices using words that sound similar to the new vocabulary, making the learning process more engaging and effective.

💡Story

A story is a narrative, either true or fictitious, intended to interest, amuse, or instruct the listener or reader. The script uses the concept of storytelling as a method to help learners remember new words by creating narratives that involve the vocabulary, thus making the learning experience more vivid and memorable.

💡Mnemonic Devices

Mnemonic devices are techniques or strategies that help to improve memory, often by associating new information with familiar patterns or images. In the script, the use of stories that connect new words with familiar concepts or sounds is presented as an effective mnemonic strategy for vocabulary retention.

💡Emotion

Emotion refers to a natural instinctive state of mind that arises from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others. The video script mentions that learning through stories engages the learner's emotions, making the learning process more immersive and helping to better remember the vocabulary.

💡Engage

To engage means to involve or occupy the attention or interest of someone to a full extent. The script suggests that learning through stories not only engages the mind but also the learner's emotions and body, creating a more holistic learning experience that aids in memorization.

💡Nervous System

The nervous system is a complex network of nerves and cells that transmit signals between different parts of the body. In the context of the video, it is mentioned that stress can affect the nervous system, which in turn can impair the brain's ability to learn and remember new vocabulary.

💡Aim

Aim, in the context of learning, refers to a goal or objective that one sets for oneself. The script advises learners to set achievable daily goals for vocabulary acquisition, such as learning 10 to 15 words a day, to avoid stress and make the learning process more manageable.

💡Context

Context refers to the circumstances or setting in which something occurs, happens, or is said. The script emphasizes the importance of understanding the context in which a word is used, as it helps in better comprehension and retention of the vocabulary, especially when the word is encountered in real-life situations.

Highlights

Teela introduces the lesson on learning and remembering new vocabulary.

Subscription reminder for new lessons.

Tip 1: Learning new words is easier when they are relevant to your life.

Reconnect with the personal reason for learning English to enhance vocabulary learning.

Imagining oneself in a specific role helps in identifying necessary vocabulary.

The importance of noting down unknown words for later learning.

Tip 2: Avoid the stress of memorizing a large number of words daily.

A recommended goal of learning 10 to 15 words a day for better retention.

The negative impact of stress on the brain's ability to learn.

Tip 3: Utilize word associations through storytelling for vocabulary retention.

Creating stories with words that sound similar can improve memory.

Example of using 'cuddle' and 'puddle' in a story to remember the word 'cuddle'.

Using 'agenda' and 'agent' to create a story about a secret agent for better recall.

The word 'elementary' is associated with a 'lemon tree' in a story for memorization.

The effectiveness of stories in engaging emotions and the body in the learning process.

Invitation to subscribe for free lessons featuring interesting stories.

Summary of the three main tips for effective vocabulary learning.

Closing remarks and a reminder to check out the free lessons.

Transcripts

Hey everyone, I'm Teela with Deep English.

I'm really excited for another lesson together today.

Today our lesson is about

learning and remembering new vocabulary.

But before we get started,

I just want to remind you

that if you're interested in seeing all of our new lessons

right when they come out,

you can subscribe below,

and then you'll be sure never to miss a lesson.

Alright, so let's get started.

I have three tips for you today

all about learning and remembering new vocabulary.

My first tip, my first tip

is simply to remember that it's much easier

to learn new information when

that information is actually relevant to your life.

So that means it's much easier to learn new English words

when they're actually useful in your own life.

So take a moment right now

to think about why you originally wanted to learn English.

So maybe you wanted to learn English

because you wanted to become a nanny in New York City.

So reconnect with your why.

After you reconnect with your why,

like, oh I remember why,

I wanted to become a nanny,

then you can imagine yourself in this position.

So you could imagine that you're a nanny in New York City,

and then you start to think about

what kinds of conversations might I be having in English.

So this is where vocabulary comes in.

So you might imagine that you're speaking with parents.

So as you do this, take note of the English words

that you will need to learn.

Maybe you want to talk to parents

about a life-saving technique

that you've been trained in,

but you realize, oo I don't know how to say that.

Take note of that, and then look it up later.

It will be so much easier for you

to remember new words this way,

because they're actually useful and relevant

to your own life.

So your brain is more likely to hold on to them,

feeling just how useful they could be.

Alright, let's move on.

Tip number two.

So my second tip is a pretty short one.

And this tip is all about not stressing yourself out.

So, tip number two, don't try to memorize

like 100 words a day.

This is not a good way to learn a new language.

It probably won't work.

It's a lot better to make a goal

that's something like maybe 10 or 15 words a day.

Something that's not a stressful goal.

Because if your nervous system gets stressed out

then your brain will be stressed out,

and the parts of your brain

that really like to learn

will actually shut down.

So you want to stay relaxed

and make simple goals

as far as remembering vocabulary goes.

So maybe 10 to 15 words a day.

Okay, tip number three.

And I think this is my best tip for today.

And this tip is to use word associations

when learning new vocabulary.

So what do I mean by this?

Well, this tip is all about stories.

So when you can learn new words in story form,

it's like you give your brain

something to latch onto.

It's a lot easier to learn

when the information is presented in story form.

So let's say that you wanted to learn English

because you were in love with someone

who speaks English.

And so you're thinking,

what words do I need to learn?

And you come across the word cuddle.

So the word cuddle means to hug or to embrace someone

in an affectionate way,

or even to kind of touch someone in a loving way.

And so you want to memorize the word cuddle.

How can you do this?

Well, here is my tip.

My tip is, think about the word cuddle,

and what does the word cuddle sound like?

Hm, well it sounds a lot like the word puddle.

The word puddle is a lot more common.

It's probably a word you already know.

So if you can use these two words

and create a story around them,

it will be so much easier for you to remember them.

So for example, you could create a story like

two snowmen fell in love.

And when they started to cuddle,

they melted into a puddle of love.

So cuddling is kind of like two people

melting together in love, creating a puddle.

So that's one way that you can easily remember words.

So let's try this a couple more times.

Let's see another word, agenda, agenda.

So if, when you were thinking

why did I want to learn English in the first place?

Maybe you thought, because I wanted to have a job

where I need to speak English.

Well then you probably need to know the word agenda.

An agenda is a list of items

that will be talked about at a meeting.

So an agenda.

So let's say you're trying to remember this word.

How can I remember the word agenda?

Well the word agenda sounds a lot like

the word agent in English.

Maybe as a child you wanted to be a secret agent, hm.

So now let's create a connection using a story.

Ah, let's see here.

The secret agent kept the details of the agenda

secret until the meeting.

So something like that.

So this story around a secret agent keeping the agenda,

not letting anyone else see it.

So in that way then you can remember

what the word agenda means.

Let's do one more.

Okay, let's do the word elementary.

So elementary means really basic.

Kids from ages five to 10 usually go to elementary school.

So if you wanted to learn English

because you wanted to become a nanny,

then you probably would need to know the word elementary.

So let's see how we can more easily remember this word.

Hm, well the word elementary sounds like a lemon tree.

So let's see if we can create a story around this.

The little boy climbed a lemon tree,

and he was stuck until he missed his first day

of elementary school.

Okay so you see what I'm doing here.

I'm creating stories that involve these mnemonic devices.

So these two words that sound alike.

So the more interesting that you can make your story,

the more weird and strange,

but also even relevant to your own life,

the more likely it is

that you'll be able to remember what those words mean.

Stories are such an important part

of learning for human beings.

That's why we here at Deep English

love to use stories in our lessons.

We love to use stories that are interesting and meaningful,

because when you learn through story form,

you engage your emotions,

and your body is engaged as well,

so you're not just learning with your head,

you're learning with all of who you are.

So the next time that you hear these words,

you will have a reaction to them,

and you'll probably just really naturally

come up with the word or the word meaning.

So if you're interested in checking out

some of our free lessons,

where you can look at some of our stories,

I encourage you to subscribe below,

or even click below and that's where you can find

some of our free lessons at the end of this video.

Okay, so I hope that this was helpful.

I know I really enjoyed this lesson.

I hope that you did too.

Remember there are three ways,

there are many ways,

but there are three very good ways

to remember vocabulary.

And the first is to remember why

you wanted to learn English in the first place,

and make new vocabulary relevant to your own life.

Number two, don't stress yourself out

by trying to learn too many new words.

And number three, learn new words in story form.

Okay, that does it for today's lesson.

Again, if you're interested in the free lesson,

be sure to click below.

Thank you guys, I'll see you next time.