How to Learn English - Memorization

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Hello and welcome to another addition of Fast Food English.  This week we are talking about How to Learn English.

One method used for learning a language is memorization.  Repeating a word or a phrase over and over again until you know it by heart. 

At first, I was not a big fan of memorization.  It is easy to memorize words and phrases that you don't fully understand.   And if you don't understand it, you won't use it when you speak and you won't understand it when someone says it to you in a real conversation.  Also, memorization exercises, like flash cards, can be boring. 

But after reading some of the posts on the PhraseMix blog I understand how memorization can be helpful.  You can find the links to those blog posts in the show notes.  Aaron, the author of PhraseMix says that when you focus on one small thing and then go back to the big context, you will have greater understanding.  

So, that means not just memorizing a phrase, a grammar point or vocabulary word but learning it  and understanding it fully until you know it well and then going back to listening to your favorite things in English. 

Now when you're listening to your favorite English TV show those phrases, words, and grammar points will jump out at you.  Suddenly you are going to hear them and understand them and your overall understanding of English will grow.

So, PhraseMix.com is a great website for memorizing phrases.  It gives a good explaination of every phrase so you understand it and use it properly.  

Another example of using memorization to learn English is the English Central video I have for you in the show notes.  This video is of Japanese students learning English by memorizing speeches by famous Americans.  In this example, they are memorizing a speech by US President Obama. 

What do you think about memorization for learning English?  Do you memorize new words by using flash cards or other methods?  Share your thoughts with me and the other readers in the comments.

Thanks for listening this has been Cassie Brenn for fastfoodenglish.blogspot.com

Show Notes
PhraseMix - Why Memorize
PhraseMix - Starting the Snowball