How to take notes effectively in language learning?

Summary

In this video, Zoe, a polyglot and PhD student, shares her effective language learning and note-taking strategies. She emphasizes the importance of selecting, organizing, and reviewing notes in a way that aids retention. Zoe breaks down techniques for different learning stages—beginner, intermediate, and advanced—using tools like Excel, Google Docs, Notability, and Reverso. She highlights the significance of focusing on key words, context, and consistent review. By sharing her personal experiences and offering tips on managing vocabulary and grammar, Zoe encourages learners to tailor their approach to their level and learning style.

Takeaways

• 😀 Focus on note-taking tools that suit your current learning level: Excel for beginners, Google Docs for intermediate learners, and Notability for advanced learners.
• 😀 For beginners, prioritize basic grammar structures, pronunciation, and frequent vocabulary over complex sentences.
• 😀 Keep your notes simple and relevant to your daily life to maintain interest and reinforce learning habits.
• 😀 At the intermediate/advanced level, be selective with what you note down—focus on useful vocabulary and expressions rather than long sentences.
• 😀 Use different note-taking tools for different resources: Excel for vocabulary and grammar, Google Docs for language exchanges, and Notability for language books and articles.
• 😀 Highlighting is a crucial technique: use different colors to mark pronunciation mistakes, new words, and grammar points to make reviewing more effective.
• 😀 Writing sentences or journals using new vocabulary is a powerful active recall technique that enhances memory retention.
• 😀 Excel is useful for organizing beginner-level vocabulary and grammar, but as your language skills grow, consider simplifying your note organization.
• 😀 Google Docs is great for collaborative learning, such as with a Tandem partner, where you can both edit and highlight notes simultaneously.
• 😀 Reverso is helpful for saving and reviewing vocabulary from videos, but the spaced repetition feature is not ideal for everyone.
• 😀 Consistent review is key: set aside time each week to go over your notes and reinforce your memory before starting new lessons.

Q & A

Why is it important to take notes smartly when learning a language?

Taking notes smartly allows you to absorb and retain the information efficiently, making it easier to review and reuse what you've learned without feeling overwhelmed.

What is the main principle when taking notes for beginners?

For beginners, the key is to focus on simple and essential elements like pronunciation, basic grammar structures, and frequent words. Long, complicated sentences are not necessary at this stage.

How does the author suggest selecting what to note for intermediate and advanced learners?

For intermediate and advanced learners, the same principle of being selective applies. Only note down useful information, such as parts of sentences that provide context, rather than the entire sentence.

What mistakes did the author make when taking notes at an intermediate level?

The author used to note down long and complicated sentences from news articles, expecting to memorize everything. This approach was counterproductive as it became overwhelming and demotivating to review.

Why does the author prefer using Excel for note-taking at the beginner level?

Excel is preferred at the beginner level because it allows easy organization of vocabulary and grammar points into categories, making it quick to search, reorganize, and link notes together.

How does the author suggest using Excel to reinforce vocabulary?

The author suggests linking newly learned vocabulary with example sentences or journal entries. By actively recalling the vocabulary in different contexts, it becomes easier to retain.

What tool does the author recommend for taking notes with a Tandem partner, and why?

The author recommends using Google Docs for taking notes with a Tandem partner. It's practical because both people can edit the document at the same time, and it’s easy to review the notes from anywhere.

How does the author organize notes in Google Docs?

In Google Docs, the author organizes notes by including the date, new words or expressions, and short sentences. The most important parts of the notes are highlighted for easy review.

What is the importance of highlighting mistakes in different colors?

Highlighting mistakes in different colors helps target specific areas for improvement. For example, pronunciation mistakes are in green, new words in yellow, and grammar mistakes in blue. This makes it easier to review and focus on weaknesses.

Why does the author use Notability at higher levels of language learning?

At higher levels, the author uses Notability because it allows for more flexible note-taking, especially for context-based learning, without the need to copy words and translations repeatedly. The author reviews the text and highlights key points instead.

What is the author’s opinion on Reverso for language learning?

The author finds Reverso useful for saving new words from videos or Netflix but does not like its spaced repetition feature, as it feels too slow and repetitive. Instead, the author prefers exporting vocabulary lists to Excel for quicker review.

How does the author suggest building a review habit?

The author suggests scheduling 15 to 30 minutes of review time before starting a new lesson. Building a consistent review habit helps reinforce what has been learned, making language acquisition more effective.