Vocabulary lists are not serving you well. Consider Input-based approaches, become a cultural observer and watch your Arabic improve.
What feeling do you get at the mention vocabulary lists? Boredom? Anxiety? Depression? Yep…me too!
Thankfully, there is a better way.
When it comes to learning a language, deep learning with meaning is more important than just memorisation. The latter leads to lots of mental translation, which is exhausting, boring and very different from language acquisition. Instead of relying solely on vocabulary lists, I encourage you to become a cultural observer and notice how language is used by native speakers.
But what does that mean exactly? It means immersing yourself in the language as much as possible. Watch movies and TV shows in your target language, read books and articles. And if you have access to a native speaker, make sure you speak to them. The more you expose yourself to the language, the more you’ll start to pick up on patterns and nuances that you wouldn’t get from a simple vocabulary list.
When you translate words from your native language to your target language, you’re not really learning the language. Instead, it’s important to focus on direct semantic meaning. This means understanding the meaning of words in context, rather than just memorizing their translations.
So how do you go about acquiring language naturally? My favourite way is regular daily input at a comfortable level. It’s important to find content that’s at the right level for you, so that you’re not overwhelmed or bored. Remember the mantra- comprehensible, compelling, rich and abundant input (also known as Optimal Input).
Give it a go! Try an input heavy approach with daily reading or listening for at least 3-6 months to see whether you benefit. I feel confident that you will experience the same progress and enjoyment I did.
