Memory
Learning by Example
By Michael, 20 9月 2009 - 8:17午後What should you memorise? Sometimes, more is less.
Boxicity: Photo: SyntopiaLet's face it, memorising sucks. It is hard work, and usually does not feel pleasant or fun. But deliberate memorising is a key part of learning a foreign language, and lots of people are prepared to recognise that, and put in effort to memorise as part of their language study. If you're going to do something unpleasant like this, then you certainly want to make it as effective as possible, so you get the best bang for your buck (the biggest "gain" for your "pain"). Unfortunately, the way many people memorise when learning a foreign language is neither the easiest way, nor the most effective.
Word Maps
By Matthew, 25 7月 2009 - 4:24午後Use mind mapping techniques to improve your vocabulary.
MindmapIt is nearly impossible to learn a new word like this:
legislation
alone. With no definition, context or relationships it is meaningless. You can make word maps to help you remember and understand new words better. This technique is to develop a thinking habit. If you do it enough, soon you will think in this way and your understanding and command of English will improve.
There are several ways you can arrange your word maps:
Read more · 続きを読むThree Steps to Mastery
By Michael, 4 7月 2009 - 6:34午後When do you really know a piece of a language?
Butterfly effect: Photo: Usually, we say we "know" something if we can remember it and understand it. When you're learning a language, it is easy to be deceived by this definition of "knowing", and to think you "know" a piece of the language, when really, you are still only halfway there.
The problem is the difference between two kinds of knowing, which are called "knowing that", and "knowing how". "Knowing that" is the kind of knowledge we have about facts. For example, you probably know that the capital of Japan is Tokyo. In order to know this, you only need to be able to remember it at the appropriate time, and understand it. "Knowing how", though, is the kind of knowledge you have when you swim, or drive a car. Here, knowledge of the idea is not enough.
Read more · 続きを読むThe "70% rule"
By Michael, 23 6月 2009 - 1:10午後Read how to learn more vocabulary faster.
Get some Chinese in you!: Photo: A lot of people have ideas about how much their brain can handle, but they have no idea where they got those ideas. One very common idea like this is that you can "only learn so much" at a time. You probably have a belief like this. Could you learn 500 new words a day? You will probably say you couldn't. But how do you know? Have you ever tried?
