You learn ten words on Monday and by Friday only two are left? That is normal: memory quickly forgets what it does not see again. Spaced repetition starts from this fact and turns it into a method: review each word at the right moment, just before you forget it.
The principle: the forgetting curve
At the end of the 19th century, the German psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus showed that we forget new information very quickly, then more and more slowly each time we review it. The practical conclusion: it is better to review a word several times, at increasing intervals, than to repeat it twenty times on the same day.
How to do it with simple cards
Take paper cards: the foreign word on one side, the meaning and an example sentence on the other. Sort them into three boxes:
- Box 1: new or missed words, reviewed every day;
- Box 2: words you got right once, reviewed every three days;
- Box 3: words you know well, reviewed every week.
A card you get right moves up one box; a card you miss goes back to box 1. That's all. Free flashcard apps such as Anki do this calculation for you.
Cards that really work
Write a whole sentence rather than a single word: we remember a word better in context. Add a picture or a personal memory. And choose words that are useful to you: from your job, your travels, your hobbies. If you are planning a trip, start with the phrases in our article on learning a language to travel.
Mistakes to avoid
Creating too many cards at once (twenty new ones a day is plenty), skipping days and then catching up on everything, or never saying the words out loud. Pronouncing the word while reviewing also helps you find it when you speak: a first step towards more fluent speaking.
How long each day?
Ten to fifteen minutes are enough, as long as you are regular. It is a small ritual that is easy to keep, on public transport or with your morning coffee, and it often makes the difference before a language exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is spaced repetition?
A method that consists in reviewing information at increasing intervals, just before you forget it, to fix it in long-term memory.
How many new words should I learn per day?
Ten to twenty are enough. Beyond that, reviews become too heavy and you lose motivation.
Do I need an app?
No: three boxes and paper cards work very well. A free app such as Anki simply calculates the review dates for you.