Today, I'm going to ask ChatGPT to give me the best methods to learn vocabularies in any language, such as Chinese or English. If you're new here, my name is James, and I am a certified language teacher in both China and Canada. In the last video, I talked about how to use ChatGPT to practice our English speaking skills, and I will leave a link in the corner somewhere here just in case you're interested in checking it out (Refer to the video)
Introduction
Today's plan is to use Chinese as an example. After ChatGPT gives me the answer, I'm going to review it from a language teacher's perspective, and then I'll give you the best prompt to try with ChatGPT, along with the best method to study vocabularies. By the way, this is James Guu, a certified langauge teacher in both China and Canada.
Step 1: Contextual Learning
First, this is the prompt I gave ChatGPT. You can pause here and take a look. As I mentioned in my previous video, I always like to tell ChatGPT who I am and who I want ChatGPT to be, so it can filter out the information that fits me the best. Here, I told ChatGPT that I am a beginner in Chinese learning and I find it difficult to memorize vocabularies. Then, I asked ChatGPT to guide me as a professional language teacher. After that, I gave ChatGPT a scenario. For example, I’m learning the basic phrases for traveling, and I want ChatGPT to give me the answer based on this scenario.
ChatGPT's first suggestion is contextual learning. Focus on real-life situations. Start with phrases and words that are immediately useful for your travels, such as greetings, directions, and food-related vocabulary. For example, if you come across the word "火车站" (train station) in Chinese, learn it in a context of a sentence like "火车站在哪里?" (Where is the train station?). This is a great idea because context is always more important than a vocabulary list.
Step 2: Use Mnemonics
The second method ChatGPT suggested is using mnemonics. Create associations by linking the new word to something familiar. For example, you could visualize a train ("火车") stopping at a station ("站"). Imagine a fiery train arriving at a station. The visualization helps in memorizing the new word. Although the translation might not be 100% accurate, if you have a basic understanding of the language, you can figure it out.
Step 3: Repetition and Spaced Repetition
The third method is repetition and spaced repetition. According to Khan Academy, spaced repetition involves reviewing materials at increasing intervals to improve long-term retention. This means we need to review vocabulary constantly to memorize them. Daily practice using flashcards or apps like Anki, which use spaced repetition, is highly recommended. In my opinion, using an app is easier and more convenient.
Step 4: Engage Multiple Senses
Engage multiple senses: read, write, listen, and speak to reinforce memory. Writing the word down, listening to its pronunciation, and using it in a sentence out loud are effective. Speaking is the most effective way to practice a language because people learn a language to communicate with others. For example, write "火车站在哪里?" (Where is the train station?) in your notebook, listen to its pronunciation, and say it multiple times.
Step 5: Chunking
Chunking means grouping related words together rather than learning them in isolation. For travel, learn a set of transportation-related words together, such as train ("火车"), station ("站"), airport ("机场"), taxi ("出租车"), and subway ("地铁"). This method is effective because you often encounter these words in related situations.
Step 6: Practice in Context
Practice in context by role-playing real-life scenarios where you would use the words. For example, act out a scene where you're asking for directions to the train station in Chinese. This method is highly effective because you can simulate conversations whenever you have time, even if you don't have a language partner or tutor with you all the time.
Step 7: Generate Exercises with ChatGPT
You can use ChatGPT to generate exercises to help you practice the language. Here's the prompt I use: "Can you generate questions for me to practice and review the vocabularies?" ChatGPT can generate matching questions, fill-in-the-blank exercises, and translation practice. After finishing these exercises, you'll have a solid foundation of the vocabularies you just learned.
Conclusion
Did ChatGPT give a good answer? Yes, it gave an excellent answer. This is exactly what I would teach my students. If you follow these tips, you will improve your language learning. Remember to smash that like button because it helps more people learn about these tips and helps me grow this channel. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button, and feel free to leave a comment telling me what language you're studying right now and ask any questions. I'll see you next time.