Episode summary
Three tips for improving your memory and the effectiveness of your language study.
T.E.A. Time is hosted by English teacher Tayvin Bayless. Read the full transcript.
Hey there, and welcome to T.E.A. Time with Tayvin Bayless. In today’s episode, I’m going to be sharing some surprising ways that you can start improving your English language study. All of these tips focus on improving your brain function and memory rather than specific grammar or vocabulary. A healthy brain is the greatest tool we have for learning, so helping it to work as effectively as possible is very important!
So, let’s talk about walking. If you like to listen to audiobooks or podcasts, then walking may be one of the best ways that you can improve your memory of what you listen to! Studies show that if we walk every day we can improve blood flow to the brain. Increased blood flow means that our brains can work faster and are much better at storing memories. In addition to that wonderful benefit, walking strengthens your heart, your lungs, and can increase your vitamin D levels from being out in the sun. That sure sounds like a win-win scenario to me! That’s why I try to listen to Japanese every day while I walk.
This next tip may sound a little strange, but please hear me out. I have recently set a goal with my beautiful and intelligent wife to read more books. We are trying to finish a new book on an educational topic every two weeks. As I read more I am looking for ways to increase my reading speed and retain information more easily. Standing has been one of the most beneficial things for my energy levels and concentration while reading. Much like walking, standing provides a significant increase in blood flow to the brain when compared with sitting. Before, I tended to lose focus or even fall asleep while reading, but I never had a problem with that if I stand and read. You don’t even need to do it the whole time you are reading. I recommend that you try it out for 15 minutes at a time to see if standing will work for you too.
The last tip that I have for you today is also related to improving reading comprehension and focus. Have you ever helped a child learn to read? Many English-speaking children in America will use their index fingers to underline words as they read. Because of this, many people may see using your index finger while reading as childish. This is unfortunate because it is actually a highly effective way to improve focus and reading speed. Studies have shown an immediate increase in reading speed among many adults who began using a visual pacer, a more specific term for this technique, and a majority of these adults reported actually increasing comprehension in addition to their speed. One of the main reasons that using a visual pacer is so effective is that it helps to focus your eyes. Instead of looking at the entire page, you are now focused on the specific sentence or word you are reading. It also helps to reduce backtracking or rereading words that you have already gone over.
I hope you can try out these three tips in your own English study. If you do try them out, please let me know how it worked for you. Do you like them? Or do they seem a little strange and awkward? If you have any questions or comments send me a message through Anchor, on Twitter, or find me on italki and I’ll try to respond as quickly as possible. If you’d like to read along with the audio of this episode, you can find a link to the transcript in the episode description or on my Twitter page. Until next time. Have a wonderful day.
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