Why I DON’T use spaced repetition to learn vocabulary, by Steve Kaufmann - lingosteve on YouTube. 9 min 41 s.
- Video length
- 9 min 41 s
- Time to do it
- 20 minutes a day
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Steps
- 8
What you need
Steps
Judge your progress by how many words you understand, not by how many grammar rules you have memorised. Vocabulary is the clearest sign of your level in a language.
Accept that knowing a word is a scale. First you recognise it in a text, then you understand it while listening, and only later can you use it yourself.
Learn the most frequent words first, because they cover most everyday speech. Then add specialised words from your work, hobbies and interests.
Skip flashcard drilling and spaced repetition apps if they feel like a chore. They use time you could spend on real reading and listening.
Review words by meeting them again in context. Read articles and books, watch shows and listen to podcasts on topics you actually enjoy.
Let yourself forget. A half remembered word is easy to relearn, and words that keep appearing in your reading will stick on their own.
Save the words you look up in a reader app such as LingQ or in a plain list. Go back to them when a word feels important, not on a fixed schedule.
Set a daily habit of 20 to 30 minutes of reading and listening at a level you can mostly follow. Move to harder material as it gets easier.
Tips and common mistakes
Choose material you would read or watch in your own language, because interest keeps you coming back.
Looking the same word up three times in a week is a better sign it matters than an app telling you to review it.
Do not test yourself constantly. Aim to understand the message, not to score 100 percent on a quiz.
Write new words into short sentences about your own life to move them from recognition to real use.
Questions
Is spaced repetition useless?
No. It works well for many learners, but it is optional. If flashcards bore you, plenty of reading and listening can build vocabulary too.
How many words do I need to know?
The most frequent few thousand words cover most everyday conversation. After that, focus on words from your own field and interests.
How often should I review new words?
Whenever they come up again in your reading or listening. That natural repetition does the reviewing for you.
This guide was drafted from the video's details and general task knowledge. It has not been checked against the full video. Check the video and relevant product instructions before following a procedure. Report a correction.
