English Learning Tools 5:Flash Cards

It is often argued that vocabulary is the most essential element of communication. The more words you know, it is suggested, the more you can say and understand.

According to the VistaWide.com site,"the absolute best way to learn vocabulary is through the use of flash cards that you make yourself". "Purchase a set of 3 x 5 index cards", they suggest, "and cut them in half." [This, they argue, makes them small enough to carry everywhere]. Once you have done that, they continue: "Write a vocabulary word on the front and its English definition on the back. As you learn more information about each word (e.g. plural forms of nouns, principle parts of verbs), you can add these to the cards.

There are many ways you can use flash cards as a learning tool, VistaWide.com suggest. For example: "To help you learn and remember noun genders, you can color code the nouns by gender, either by using colored cards or colored ink". When studying, organize words in meaningful groups (e.g., by noun gender, in thematic categories, regular verbs vs. irregular verbs): "Shuffle the cards or groups, so that you use the stack(s) in a different order each time. Use the cards in both directions: first look at the foreign language words and try to recall the English definition. Then shuffle and look at the English definitions and attempt to remember the foreign language words. Flash cards offer many possibilities."

Find below links to: the Vista.Wide.com article of flash cards ; a website that provides already prepared flash cards for free; and, HospitalEnglish.com's page containing some sample Medical English Flash Cards.

Links:
Flash Cards [VistaWide.com]
Free ESL Flash Cards [eslflashcards.com]
Free Flash Cards [HospitalEnglish.com]