How to make a dictionary in English. How to organize an English workbook? What is the idea behind the Myefe Personal Dictionaries service?

Previously, it was difficult to imagine learning a foreign language without a special dictionary, which the student filled out on his own. Today, the opinions of students about maintaining a personal dictionary differ. Some people think that keeping a dictionary is absolutely useless; others, on the contrary, are a necessity. Let's see what are the advantages of maintaining a dictionary, and how to maintain it correctly.

Benefits of maintaining a dictionary:

1. The dictionary helps to systematize the work on vocabulary replenishment.
2. By writing down the words that you learn today, for example, it will be easier for you to find them after a while.
3. It happens that the learned word at the right moment flies out of our heads. And when we try to find the word we need on the Internet, the online translator gives us a synonym instead of the word we need. The same can happen with the search for the necessary phraseological units, phrasal verbs and set phrases on the Internet. If we have all the learned terms and phrases written down, it is easier for us to navigate in them, especially if they are divided into topics (but we will move on to how best to keep a dictionary a little later).
4. When we write down new terms, we memorize them faster, because mechanical and visual memory are included in the work.

In fact, a dictionary is a handy tool that helps us quickly learn new vocabulary and move it from a liability to an asset.

How to keep an English dictionary to memorize words

At school, we divided the notebook into three columns (or bought a ready-made dictionary notebook): in the first we wrote down the word in English, in the second - transcription, in the third - translation. However, this method did not really help the assimilation of new vocabulary.

How many of these words can we remember today?

This dictionary was regularly updated with dozens of new words that we had to learn for the dictation in the next lesson. However, after that same ill-fated dictation, new terms disappeared from memory somewhere without a trace. The fact is that this method was focused exclusively on cramming. We learned the words, but we didn't learn how to use them correctly. So it turns out that after 10-11 years of studying English at school, we can understand a little English, but we ourselves cannot even connect two words.

In fact, from the fact that we kept such a dictionary, there was not much sense, if any. Therefore, we propose to consider more effective methods of maintaining a personal English dictionary.

The first option is a thematic dictionary:

1. It is much easier for many people to memorize new vocabulary if it is divided into thematic groups. Therefore, we advise when studying words to divide them by topic. Give each topic a few pages. For example, three dictionary pages for the topic “weather”, three for the topic “airport”, three more for set phrases with the word “get”, etc.
2. If it is convenient for you to read the transcription, write it next to the words (or above the words) whose pronunciation is difficult for you to remember.
3. Write down the meaning of the word/phrase. If your level of language proficiency allows you, write an interpretation in English. At the same time, we still recommend that you peep the translation of the word (if necessary, write down next to the English interpretation). This is to make sure you understand the word correctly. It happens that the interpretation does not accurately convey the meaning of the word, therefore, for reinsurance, it is still better to look at its analogue in the native language.
4. If a word has many meanings, write down a few of the most commonly used ones. This will avoid confusion if you later meet this word in a different context.
5. Find and write down examples of the use of the word (phrase) in order to understand how it can be used. At the same time, it is desirable to write out 2-3 examples in order to be able to see what shades the word acquires in the context. If you wrote down several meanings of the word, write down an example of usage for each of them.
6. If you have already reached the Pre-intermediate level, also write out idioms with the word you are learning.
7. Also write down a few synonyms and antonyms for each word. This helps to build an associative array. For example, you are learning the word tight-fisted and have written greedy as a synonym for it. When you need to remember the learned word, an associative link may automatically appear in your memory: “The term I needed was a synonym for the word greedy .... Oh right, tight-fisted!”. You can also create figurative associations and write them down as verbal prompts. For example, let's take the same word - tight-fisted. It can be associated with Scrooge, both McDuck and the protagonist of A Christmas Carol. Therefore, next to the word, you can write the name Scrooge. If desired, you can draw a picture, this technique helps many.

Make up so-called mind maps.

This method is suitable for people who have the best developed visual memory. To do this, write down the word-theme in the center of the page. For example weather. And draw arrows from it, at the end of which write down what the weather could be: sunny, rainy, and so on. Using this method, you can learn not only new words, but also grammatical constructions. At the same time, on the back of the sheet, write out a few sentences with the words that you learn. Alternatively, for examples of use, you can start a separate notebook.

word blocks

Another way to keep a dictionary is to write vocabulary in blocks, the words in which are not thematically related. This method is suitable if you often learn new vocabulary from films, books and articles. So, it will not be very convenient when watching a movie to look for a page with the topic you need. It will be much easier to write out just words and phrases on one page.

1. Allocate multiple pages per block of words. The block must include the number
2. When writing out a word, write down its meaning and transcription, if necessary.
3. Under each word (phrase), write down the sentence in which you met it. Then check how this word can still be used, and write down 1-2 other examples of its use. To do this, you can use Google search or dictionaries like http://context.reverso.net/.
4. Also, if these are expressions from the movie, you can write down the situation-explanation. For example, the hero said the phrase that you learn when he was angry when he saw that his money was gone - write it down. This will be your beacon. Remembering the situation, it will be easier for you to remember the phrase itself.
5. Next to each block of words, write down the dates of their repetitions.
6. On the next sheet allocated for this block, write down phrases and words in English. And during the repetition, write down the translation or interpretation to them. On another sheet, come up with your own examples of use. Then write down the meaning of the words or phrases that you learn, but in Russian, and the next time you repeat, try to remember them yourself in English.

With block dictionary maintenance, you can (and even need to) use those methods that are described in maintaining a thematic dictionary. That is, write down synonyms, associations to words, antonyms, etc.

Dictionaries can be kept both in paper form and in electronic form. For example, create a "dictionary" folder on the computer, in which to create several documents (each document on one topic). Or one document, divided into several sheets.

Although, when writing by hand, new vocabulary will be remembered faster, and finding everything is much easier in one notebook than in several documents of an electronic folder.

Such methods of maintaining a personal dictionary of a foreign language are convenient and effective. They help to systematize the studied vocabulary and memorize it faster. You just have to choose the method that is convenient for you.

What do you think is important when learning foreign languages? “Motivation, a good teacher and free time,” you say. Others will answer: “The main thing is an effective methodology and the best teaching aids!”. But has it occurred to you that the organization of study materials also plays an important role? If not, then this article is for you.

Since school, we have been accustomed to keeping a dictionary notebook for writing down foreign words, a grammar notebook, a workbook, a notebook for homework, etc. This whole pile consists of irreplaceable and important elements that are necessary for the educational process. However, you must admit that it is not very convenient to always carry a collection of notebooks with you. Forgetting one of them, you will be left without materials that may be useful in the learning process.

Our advice is to change your habits. Get instead of a common notebook ring blinder(folder on rings), which will become an assistant in the study of foreign languages.

Folder Benefitsring blinder. How to improve the efficiency of classes?

1) Classify information.

To have this notebook means to categorize the material that you have read in the lesson. There is no need to write information linearly here: the notebook has rings on which you can attach not only sheets of the format you need, but also separators. So, you can create several sections: "grammar", "new words", "written work", etc. Thanks to bright separators, you can easily find the section you need, and when moving to another level of study, some sections can be replaced (for example, “practice” or “written work”), and the grammar section can be left: this way you can use the material for years, with who are accustomed to work.

2) Do not spare blank sheets.

Continuing the conversation about the categorization of educational material, I would like to pay attention to the records themselves. Remember the rule: new topic - new page. For example, if you are studying verbs in English, you should write down each topic separately (for example, "tenses", "passive", etc.). Such a system will allow you to supplement the material as you study it.

3) Write down grammar rules.

Choose what is most convenient for you: a table, a diagram, or a linear record of rules. Each grammar rule is best written on its own. First, this is how you memorize the material. Secondly, if you forget something, it is much faster to remember material written down by hand than a rule from a new textbook or the Internet.

4) Add colors.

Use colored pens and markers to help classify the material. For example, highlight the topic in red, the main rule in green, and examples in blue.

5) Always be prepared.

It doesn't matter whether you are a student, a schoolboy or classes in educational institutions are a thing of the past for you - learning a foreign language often takes place outside the home (with a tutor, in a language center, etc.). Therefore, it is important to have all the materials in one place in order to be able to take a folder and go to class.

For a folder like " ring binder" you can purchase a pencil case, a ruler, a mini hole punch, files, stickers, etc., which can be attached to the rings of the folder itself. This means that all learning materials and tools will be collected in one place, and you will never forget a pen, pencil or your homework.

We hope you find our tips for organizing study materials helpful.

And what is your notebook for learning a foreign language?

Previously, it was difficult to imagine learning a foreign language without a special dictionary, which the student filled out on his own. Today, the opinions of students about maintaining a personal dictionary differ. Some people think that keeping a dictionary is absolutely useless; others, on the contrary, are a necessity. Let's see what are the advantages of maintaining a dictionary, and how to maintain it correctly.

Benefits of maintaining a dictionary:

1. The dictionary helps to systematize the work on vocabulary replenishment.
2. By writing down the words that you learn today, for example, it will be easier for you to find them after a while.
3. It happens that the learned word at the right moment flies out of our heads. And when we try to find the word we need on the Internet, the online translator gives us a synonym instead of the word we need. The same can happen with the search for the necessary phraseological units, phrasal verbs and set phrases on the Internet. If we have all the learned terms and phrases written down, it is easier for us to navigate in them, especially if they are divided into topics (but we will move on to how best to keep a dictionary a little later).
4. When we write down new terms, we memorize them faster, because mechanical and visual memory are included in the work.

In fact, a dictionary is a handy tool that helps us quickly learn new vocabulary and move it from a liability to an asset.

How to keep an English dictionary to memorize words

At school, we divided the notebook into three columns (or bought a ready-made dictionary notebook): in the first we wrote down the word in English, in the second - transcription, in the third - translation. However, this method did not really help the assimilation of new vocabulary.

How many of these words can we remember today?

This dictionary was regularly updated with dozens of new words that we had to learn for the dictation in the next lesson. However, after that same ill-fated dictation, new terms disappeared from memory somewhere without a trace. The fact is that this method was focused exclusively on cramming. We learned the words, but we didn't learn how to use them correctly. So it turns out that after 10-11 years of studying English at school, we can understand a little English, but we ourselves cannot even connect two words.

In fact, from the fact that we kept such a dictionary, there was not much sense, if any. Therefore, we propose to consider more effective methods of maintaining a personal English dictionary.

The first option is a thematic dictionary:

1. It is much easier for many people to memorize new vocabulary if it is divided into thematic groups. Therefore, we advise when studying words to divide them by topic. Give each topic a few pages. For example, three dictionary pages for the topic “weather”, three for the topic “airport”, three more for set phrases with the word “get”, etc.
2. If it is convenient for you to read the transcription, write it next to the words (or above the words) whose pronunciation is difficult for you to remember.
3. Write down the meaning of the word/phrase. If your level of language proficiency allows you, write an interpretation in English. At the same time, we still recommend that you peep the translation of the word (if necessary, write down next to the English interpretation). This is to make sure you understand the word correctly. It happens that the interpretation does not accurately convey the meaning of the word, therefore, for reinsurance, it is still better to look at its analogue in the native language.
4. If a word has many meanings, write down a few of the most commonly used ones. This will avoid confusion if you later meet this word in a different context.
5. Find and write down examples of the use of the word (phrase) in order to understand how it can be used. At the same time, it is desirable to write out 2-3 examples in order to be able to see what shades the word acquires in the context. If you wrote down several meanings of the word, write down an example of usage for each of them.
6. If you have already reached the Pre-intermediate level, also write out idioms with the word you are learning.
7. Also write down a few synonyms and antonyms for each word. This helps to build an associative array. For example, you are learning the word tight-fisted and have written greedy as a synonym for it. When you need to remember the learned word, an associative link may automatically appear in your memory: “The term I needed was a synonym for the word greedy .... Oh right, tight-fisted!”. You can also create figurative associations and write them down as verbal prompts. For example, let's take the same word - tight-fisted. It can be associated with Scrooge, both McDuck and the protagonist of A Christmas Carol. Therefore, next to the word, you can write the name Scrooge. If desired, you can draw a picture, this technique helps many.

Make up so-called mind maps.

This method is suitable for people who have the best developed visual memory. To do this, write down the word-theme in the center of the page. For example weather. And draw arrows from it, at the end of which write down what the weather could be: sunny, rainy, and so on. Using this method, you can learn not only new words, but also grammatical constructions. At the same time, on the back of the sheet, write out a few sentences with the words that you learn. Alternatively, for examples of use, you can start a separate notebook.

word blocks

Another way to keep a dictionary is to write vocabulary in blocks, the words in which are not thematically related. This method is suitable if you often learn new vocabulary from films, books and articles. So, it will not be very convenient when watching a movie to look for a page with the topic you need. It will be much easier to write out just words and phrases on one page.

1. Allocate multiple pages per block of words. The block must include the number
2. When writing out a word, write down its meaning and transcription, if necessary.
3. Under each word (phrase), write down the sentence in which you met it. Then check how this word can still be used, and write down 1-2 other examples of its use. To do this, you can use Google search or dictionaries like http://context.reverso.net/.
4. Also, if these are expressions from the movie, you can write down the situation-explanation. For example, the hero said the phrase that you learn when he was angry when he saw that his money was gone - write it down. This will be your beacon. Remembering the situation, it will be easier for you to remember the phrase itself.
5. Next to each block of words, write down the dates of their repetitions.
6. On the next sheet allocated for this block, write down phrases and words in English. And during the repetition, write down the translation or interpretation to them. On another sheet, come up with your own examples of use. Then write down the meaning of the words or phrases that you learn, but in Russian, and the next time you repeat, try to remember them yourself in English.

With block dictionary maintenance, you can (and even need to) use those methods that are described in maintaining a thematic dictionary. That is, write down synonyms, associations to words, antonyms, etc.

Dictionaries can be kept both in paper form and in electronic form. For example, create a "dictionary" folder on the computer, in which to create several documents (each document on one topic). Or one document, divided into several sheets.

Although, when writing by hand, new vocabulary will be remembered faster, and finding everything is much easier in one notebook than in several documents of an electronic folder.

Such methods of maintaining a personal dictionary of a foreign language are convenient and effective. They help to systematize the studied vocabulary and memorize it faster. You just have to choose the method that is convenient for you.

_________________ Greetings to all who looked at my review! _______________

Despite the fact that the school year has come to an end and summer is ahead, and over the summer you can lose all the accumulated knowledge, my daughter and I decided to set aside some time for classes according to the school curriculum.

We will focus on the main subjects, including English.

Today I want to tell you about a checkered school exercise book produced by BJ.

General notebook in a cage, the number of sheets is 96.

Format 165 x 205 mm

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

The sheets of the notebook are light (their thickness is acceptable, not overly thin), the cell is drawn in blue, and there are also red margins in the notebook.

The book cover is made on metal staples.

The format of the notebook is A3, so standard notebook covers are suitable for it.

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

The cover of the notebook is not very hard, polished. I immediately bought a cover for a notebook, in order to avoid fraying the edges.

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

On the back you can see the color variations of this series of notebooks.

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

Why the choice fell on this notebook is precisely because of the attractive cover picture. In fact, the assortment of notebooks with more than 80 sheets in stores is not so great.

We purchased this notebook for the price of 48 rubles. in order to make her English dictionary with alphabetical index on the right inner side of the notebook, to facilitate the search and translation of the necessary words.

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

I cut out the alphabetical index myself. As English has 26 letters, for each letter I highlighted 3 sheets notebooks. That is why I chose a thick general notebook so that at the end of the notebook there are still sheets for notes, there you can write down some rules for pronunciation of words and so on.

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

It was at the stage of cutting out the alphabetical index that I identified the main disadvantage of the notebook from the manufacturer LLC "BiGi".

The thing is that the marking of the blue cells on the sheets of the notebook is not uniform.

Cutting out extra strips from the right margins, I got a not quite even version of the dictionary (annoyingly).

Notebook in a cage. 96 sheets. JSC "BJ" Review

After completing the cutting work, I wrote the letters of the English alphabet in order on the formed ladder from the right edge of the notebook.

The vowels were immediately highlighted with a marker, for clarity.

• Word in English.
• Transcription.
• Translation of the word into Russian.

I must say that this was the longest stage of work. It was necessary to draw more than 300 lines, which took me about two hours (I did it in breaks).

I really hope that this dictionary will serve my daughter and me for more than one year, we will replenish it with new words and rules.

It is better to choose a notebook for such a dictionary without borders, but, as I wrote above, the choice of notebooks with a large number of sheets in stores is not great.

I'll lower the ball for the error in the assembly of the notebook, for me it was important to have a clear line and for the softness of the cover.

What is the idea behind the Myefe Personal Dictionaries service?

The idea of ​​the service is to create personal dictionaries and learn words. The concept is a simple and user-friendly interface that allows you to easily and quickly create your own dictionaries, and then learn English words online using a special T-Words word memorization trainer.

What are personal dictionaries for?

Personal dictionaries in our case are a convenient tool that makes it possible to collect all the studied words in one place and always have access to them.

There can be many personal dictionaries, so you can assign certain tags (labels) to them in order to quickly find the desired dictionary.

All English words and phrases in the dictionaries are voiced and have a transcription; you can also edit the translation by adding or deleting some meanings. At the same time, you can create dictionaries not only for English words. The service is available in many different languages.

The main function of personal dictionaries is to help in memorizing new words and repeating those already learned.

The service can also be useful for English teachers who can create dictionaries with vocabulary on various topics, and then provide their students and students with access to these dictionaries for further work with words and phrases.

How to memorize words using the service?

To learn words, we have created a special service - T-Words. With its help, learning words will not be difficult. New intuitive interface and intelligent word selection based on scores. It will be enough for you to press one button - the system itself will select words and exercises. If you want, you can always customize the study for yourself, for this the interface provides all the possibilities.

And further. In addition to the T-Words service, you can study words directly in the table view. We call this "Fast Learning". Hide the translation or the very meaning of the word, mix the words. Everything is easy and simple.

How to create personal dictionaries?

You create an empty dictionary, choose the translation direction, add words, and the system translates the added words. For English words, transcription and pronunciation are also generated.

In addition to new dictionaries, you can copy ready-made dictionaries from “Thematic Collections”. This is a convenient way to start learning the most frequent words.

That's it, the dictionaries are ready, the words have been added - it's time to teach them. Welcome!