214: Should I create monolingual flashcards?

Max asks: "What are the benefits of monolingual flashcards?"

Episode Summary:

Today's podcast:

• Monolingual flashcards at the beginner / intermediate level
• Challenge the assumption that you should create monolingual flashcards - how else can you be using the time?
• Do not use monolingual flashcards to learn the meaning of vocabulary:
  • Definitions
  • Example sentences
• Instead, use flashcards to practise your output - i.e. choosing the appropriate word and recalling it quickly
• Big danger: You quickly "learn" the cards, and the exercise stops being useful. Make sure you're not deceiving yourself about the benefits. For this reason, I would avoid creating cards with e.g.:
  • Definitions
  • Complete the dialogue
• How I might approach monolingual flashcards myself: Don't see it as a "testing" mechanism, but rather a "retrieval" mechanism - i.e. use the technology to help you see the vocabulary more often.
• Some thoughts:
  • Close deletion (but how soon until you "learn the card"?)
  • Learning Chinese characters
  • A deck of synonyms... perhaps... but how do you scale?
  • Mine Google for example sentences with a particular word, and simply build your flashcard decks with that
  • Question and answer cards - don't test yourself, but simply use it as a mechanism of "repeating" the vocabulary as much as possible so you get more exposure
• My essential point... if you want to go "monolingual", then just do that... no need to use up your time with flashcards

Resources mentioned in today's episode:

• Make Words Stick - my complete guide to using flashcards to learn and memorise vocabulary in a foreign language
• Skritter - a great app for learning Chinese characters
• Episode 188: What are the benefits of monolingual flashcards?
• Episode 213: Conversation with Gabe Wyner

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