Expanding Vocabulary and Learning Techniques

Normal colloquial vocabulary ranges between 2,000 and 3,000 words.  The common person has a vocabulary potential ranging between 20,000 and 25,000 words.  In studying, you need a vocabulary of at least 25,000 words, and to satisfy, this range should approximate 40,000 words.  The following are a few strategies for enriching your vocabulary:

1. Expansive Literature

The best way to expand vocabulary is by reading expansive literature trying to find and define new words in different contexts.

2. Use of New Words

Without trying on behalf of the student, new words will make their way into the student’s vocabulary.  Nevertheless, there is much to be gained through the deliberate use of new words when they are first learned.

3. Check the dictionary

Occasionally, there while be words whose definition cannot be found using the context in which they are written.  Look up the word in the dictionary and write down its definition.  Go over these notes from time to time.

4. Other techniques

IQ3R

This means:

I Inspect

Q Question

R Read

R Remember

R Revise

The idea is that the reading is divided into 5 stages:

1.  Inspect

In the inspection of a book, pay attention to the following points:

·         Title

·         Author

·         Date of first edition and current edition

·         Index

·         Table of Contents

·         Familiarization

The inspection stage gives a general overview of what kind of book you are about to read.

2. Question

Before reading the book or a chapter, you should ask yourself what you hope to get out of it.  Why are you reading?  Which points particularly interest you?  These types of questions will help you read with a determined objective.

3. Read

If you are reading just one chapter, it may be better to read it twice at a regular speed before studying it in detail.  You should know the author’s general position in each chapter as well as the basic idea behind each paragraph.  After that, you can go into the details, the diagrams and illustrations, and then consider the author’s argument wholistically.

4. Remember

This stage implicates focusing your memory on the principle ideas of the reading that you should remember.

5. Review

This stage constitutes checking your memory.  Going over each chapter and testing your own accuracy on each.