Hey there! This is TOP episode 206. Why You Forget English Words. Strategies to Finally Remember!
I’m Ola, an English teacher with over a decade of teaching under my belt. I firmly believe that unlocking fluency is within your reach. In fact, the key to fluency is in your pocket. Imagine confidently speaking English, conquering your fears, and embracing effective communication.
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I’m here to guide you every step of the way. Let’s make speaking English enjoyable and fulfilling! Enjoy your journey to fluency! Happy learning!
Hello there! Thank you so much for choosing this episode! Have you ever experienced that moment when you struggle to recall specific words while speaking? Don’t worry, it happens to all speakers of any language. In this episode, we’ll delve into the breakdown of the activation process from meaning to sound and explore how TOTs are influenced by language use frequency, especially for bilinguals. Stay with me to learn effective strategies to overcome TOTs, including triggering sound memory, regular language use, and learning words in contexts. Plus, I’ll share practical techniques for conversations. What to do at the very moment the Tip of the Tongue situation happens. Get ready to enhance your word recall skills and communicate with confidence!
But first. I need your help. I want to create a brand new online course that’ll teach you how to become a confident speaker of English. I would like you to go to teacherola.com/newsletter, join my newsletter and complete a survey that will immensely help me create a perfect course. Please go to teacherola.com/newsletter and become a member of TOPeople. Please join us, get access to Wednesday speaking lessons and complete the survey, thank you!! Once again,
Have you ever heard of the phenomenon known as “Tip of the Tongue” state (TOT)? I’m sure you’ve experienced that. It’s when you struggle to recall specific words while speaking.
It’s natural, it happens to all speakers of any language so it’s a common occurrence. TOTs occur when there is a breakdown in the activation process from meaning to sound, where the brain has the idea of the word but cannot recall the corresponding sound.
Listen to this. TOTs are more common with infrequently used words and are believed to be influenced by language use frequency, which explains why bilinguals experience TOTs more often than monolinguals.
ONE. Don’t look up the word but instead describe it to trigger the sound memory. Looking up the answer can increase the chances of forgetting it again.
TWO. Use the language regularly. Using the language regularly is crucial to maintaining and improving word recall. With some effort and practice, the words will come back, and it’s important to keep using and activating the language. Repetition and ongoing practice are crucial to moving information from short-term to long-term memory. Consistent daily practice is always better than cramming for hours. Even if it’s just 10 minutes a day. If you don’t use the words you lose them.
THREE. Learn words in contexts. Never in isolation. Learn in various contexts. It helps create associations and improves word retention. In order to do so I suggest practicing reading out loud, engaging in shadowing exercises and utilising conversation partners or teachers for practice. Here I’d also like to add that when you learn a word, you want to provide your brain with enough connections (visual, audible, and mental). Whenever you learn a new word, make sure to find personal connections. Where did you learn it? How does it apply to your life? When you can use it? Make it your new habit! Always ask yourself this one question. How can I use it? By the way, to learn more about the shadowing technique find episode 25 of Teacher Ola Podcast. Episode 25.
I’d like to also offer you some practical strategies. They will help you massively when you are in the middle of a conversation and stumble upon a word you cannot recall.
First of all, leave it. Drop it, let it go. Don’t try to recall the word because it only makes things worse really. First of all, it elongates the awkward silence and increases your stress. When you’re stressed the brain shuts down, it won’t give you the words you want. It will focus on protecting you from the stressor by giving you shaking hands, extra sweat, raising your heart rate and so on. It will prepare you for a fight, basically. Silly brain, right? But that’s how it works so let’s see what can be done.
After you realise the word you want is not available at the moment, drop it, and focus your efforts on something else. Focus on the message you want to convey and paraphrase it. Describe it in other words. Use antonyms, and similar examples, to create definitions. Remember that people want to understand you they want to listen to you. They don’t check if you remember specific words, they are not examinators. There’s no exam really! They want to understand what you have to say, they want to understand the message. They’re not there to judge you, criticise you or laugh at you. People want to communicate so – paraphrase.
The third strategy I would apply in this situation is speaking in short sentences. This allows you to laser focus on the message you have to put across and keeps your words simple. Short sentences increase the probability you will say what you have to say and you will overcome the problematic moment with grace, ok? It will get you through the rough patch. Quickly regain your confidence and get back on track.
To summarise this part. I employ three effective strategies to navigate stressful moments when encountering word forgetfulness:
Drop it.
Paraphrase.
Use short sentences.
Time to practice. This will massively help you remember the words. Try to memorise where you learned these collocations (it’s Teacher Ola Podcast) and try to immediately connect them wit your life. How can you use these words? Collocations? Sentences? Listen and repeat out loud:
Don’t look up the word.
It will get you through the rough patch.
It happens to all speakers of any language.
Repetition and ongoing practice are crucial.
Focus on the message you want to convey and paraphrase it.
With some effort and practice, the words will come back.
Consistent daily practice is always better than cramming for hours.
Short sentences increase the probability you will say what you have to say.
Whenever you learn a new word, make sure to find personal connections.
The brain has the idea of the word but cannot recall the corresponding sound.
Here you have it! The best tactics and strategies on improving your ability to recall the words fast. Now, download the Worksheet and practice some more, it’s in your inbox. If you aren’t a member of TOPeople download the worksheet from teacherola.com/206. Also, join my newsletter! Every Wednesday I’ll send an email that’ll remind you to practice speaking, it will give you a practical speaking exercise and of course, the new podcast episode with a Worksheet. It’s at teacherola.com/newsletter.
Thank you for listening! I’ll see you next Wednesday! Happy learning. Take care! Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!