Activating Grammar and Vocabulary
Fresh Foundations Day 17
This post is part of the series Fresh Foundations which is about helping you create a sustainable and joyful language learning routine. If you subscribe, you’ll get access to the previous posts and receive a new one every weekday in January.
If that sounds like something you’re ready for, let’s get into today’s activity.
Activating Grammar and Vocabulary
Have you ever felt like you know a lot of grammar rules and vocabulary, but when it’s time to speak or write, the words just don’t come? You’re not alone! Most, if not all, language learners go through this stage, but you can overcome it by intentionally activating your linguistic knowledge.
Why Activation Matters
Think of your language knowledge as a set of tools you’ve collected over time. Each one has a specific purpose, but unless you practice using them, they are useless. Activation is like learning to use those tools confidently, so that when it’s time to communicate, you can build sentences and express ideas with precision and ease. It transforms passive knowledge, such as words and rules you recognize but don’t use, into active skills you can use to communicate more effectively and fluently.
By intentionally using new grammar and vocabulary in meaningful communication, you can also benefit from the interaction hypothesis, by getting feedback on whether you’ve used your knowledge appropriately. This will help you build confidence as well!
What Research Says About Successful Learners
Studies in Second Language Acquisition (SLA) consistently show that successful learners don’t just passively absorb language; they actively engage with it. Here are three key findings that align with the habits of effective learners:
Retrieval Strengthens Memory: Research shows that recalling information, whether it’s a word, phrase, or grammar rule, solidifies it in your mind (Karpicke & Roediger, 2008). Successful learners often quiz themselves or engage in regular speaking practice to reinforce their memory.
Context Matters: Using language in meaningful ways helps learners internalize it more deeply (Ellis, 2005). Effective learners apply new vocabulary and grammar in real or simulated contexts, ensuring that what they learn is practical and relevant.
Mistakes Are Essential: Successful learners understand that errors are part of the process (Swain, 1995). Each mistake is an opportunity to adjust and improve, which accelerates activation. They embrace experimentation, even when it feels awkward, by trying new grammar structures and vocabulary combinations in conversations, journaling, or apps.
Practical Tips for Activating Grammar and Vocabulary
In this series, we've already looked at quite a few ways to activate your knowledge. Here's a reminder:
But here are a few others:
Secret Words: Make a list of a few secret words/phrases you'd like to use in your next conversation. Can you steer the topic so you can include them naturally? You can do the same with grammar.
Write a Sentence Chain: Write five sentences about your day, making sure each one uses a different tense or incorporates a new word you’ve recently learned.
Random List: Make flashcards or add new words or phrases to a tool like this one. Ask it to generate two or three phrases together and then you have to come up with a sentence that uses both words.
This tool allows you to input a series of words and generate a random combination of the items. You can practice trying to relate the two items together to activate your vocabulary.
Today’s Task:
Let’s put this into practice! Choose one of the activating tasks and dedicate 10-15 minutes to activating your language skills today.
Remember, activation takes time and persistence. The more you practice using your language, the more natural it will feel. Keep experimenting, stay patient, and celebrate your progress.
We’ve covered A LOT in this series. Tomorrow, you’ll get a tool to start putting it all together and develop your own language learning practice.
If you’ve found this post or others useful, don’t forget to share with other language learners!
References
Ellis, R. (2005). Instructed Second Language Acquisition: A Literature Review. Wellington: Ministry of Education.
Karpicke, J. D., & Roediger, H. L. (2008). The Critical Importance of Retrieval for Learning. Science, 319(5865), 966-968.
Swain, M. (1995). Three Functions of Output in Second Language Learning. In G. Cook & B. Seidlhofer (Eds.), Principle and Practice in Applied Linguistics (pp. 125-144). Oxford: Oxford University Press.