Study skills on how to improve vocabulary

02 May, 2021 - 00:05 0 Views
Study skills on how to improve vocabulary

The Sunday News

STUDY skills entail good practices which help you to identify key points and facts to improve your success in examinations. This calls for good organisation like keeping control of the information presented to you in lessons. To do this it is essential that you record key points and vocabulary in your own personal notebook. In this notebook you write down information as you learn it.

Experts state that clear organisation in your notes lead to clear organisation in your head. For example, a section at the back of your notebook or file will save you time looking for recurring unfamiliar words. Notes come in handy when you later on revise what you have learnt before. You have no pressure of trying to revisit all that you learnt within a short space of time. At this point in time can I remind you on the importance of reading.

The ability to read quickly and efficiently is a vital skill nowadays. When you are given material to read, especially in examinations, you need to have a clear idea of what you are reading about and which pieces of information are important for the task that you have been set. It is recommended that you focus on the relevant information when you answer questions.

In other subjects as well as in English Language it is important that you look at the title, headings, sub headings and illustrations where relevant as these will help you to identify the subject. ook at the task at hand and identify which points you need to write a good answer.

It is necessary to pinpoint the sentences and phrases which contain the information you need. Be ready to infer answers. On this aspect you have the information need to make a reasoned statement about something that is not directly stated in the text.

In these days when learning has been compromised due to things like the Covid-19 pandemic it is important for learners to know their syllabi and the layout of their examinations (especially examination classes). This will benefit them in case they are to do online learning. They should know how each examination paper is set out: how many questions they need to answer from each section; how many marks are awarded for each answer; how long can they spend on each section.

They should be ready to interpret the questions set by knowing what is expected when the following terms are used: Analyse – find out the different aspects so that they can understand it. Compare — look carefully at two or more aspects to find how they are similar. Describe — give details. Discuss — talk about the different aspects and decide how important they are, that is where relevant. Estimate — make an informed guess about the possible outcome.

Explain — give reasons for something happening. Identify – pick out the key factors. List — make a brief list of points. Measure — use a ruler or compass to find the accurate amount or length as well as other things. Name — give the correct term. State – say clearly or put into words (full sentences). Study —look carefully at. Suggest — give a reasoned prediction or possible solution. Summarise – write a brief summary.

Note that some of these words have been explained before and they are given once more due to public demand. They are applicable across the whole curriculum not specifically in English Language and English Literature only.

Here is a list of words with their explanations randomly picked. Learners you can take your pick and develop your vocabulary: alleviate — to reduce the effect of something unpleasant. Breach — to break through. Bio gas – gas which comes from decaying plant material. Canopy — the uppermost layer of vegetation in a forest.

Carnivore —a meat eating animal. Cash crop – A crop that is grown to be sold, not for one’s own use. CBD — An abbreviation for Central Business District. Cereal — Grain, for example, corn, oats, wheat, barley, maize and rice. Climate — The average weather for a place over a long period of time. Commercial — Relating to buying and selling for money. Commute — To travel daily to and from work. Confluence — the point where rivers join.

Crisis — A very difficult time when things can go completely wrong. Death toll — Number of people killed. Debt — something that is owed to someone else. Demography — The study of populations. Density — the number of people in a particular area. Dependant — A person who relies on others for food, care, money and support. Desertification — The process by which land becomes so dry that no vegetation grows there.

Destination —The place that you are travelling to; the intended end of the journey. Economic migrant — Someone who moves to get more money and a better standard of living. Ecotourism — Tourism which aims to cause no damage to the environment that is visited. Emigrate — To move out of one’s country to live somewhere else. Environment — surroundings. Evacuate —To move people from a dangerous place to somewhere else. Extensive Spreading over a large area.

The intention of this exercise is to help learners acquire some vocabulary. These words as stated early they were just selected randomly regardless of importance. Vocabulary is acquired through reading – that is where you come across many unfamiliar words. They are better used in sentences as the functional approach helps in the understanding of the words. Words in isolation are meaningless.

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