One of the most time consuming parts of learning any language is memorizing vocabulary. Before we ever get to putting them in the correct order, or making an attempt at grammar, we must have a knowledge as to what the words mean. One of the best methods for this is a Spaced Repetition System (SRS).
An SRS allows you to review words in increasing intervals of time, helping transfer the words from your short term memory into your long term memory. SRS is the basis for the Pimsleur method of language learning. There are several programs available to us that take advantage of SRS. Anki, Mnemosyne, and Flashcard Exchange just to mention a few.
The one I have used to great success is Anki, but it is a personal choice for what fits your needs best. I chose Anki because it has an app I can use on my Samsung Android phone. This means I can take my flash cards with me anywhere, anytime. It also allows me to create new cards on the fly with out the need for pen and paper, whenever a new word crosses my path.
The basics of these programs is simple. Each card has two "sides" just like a regular paper flash card would. On one side you put the word to learn, on the other the definition or translation. When starting out individual words one each side work best to help you get used to using the program. As you advance in your language learning you can add whole phrases and create definitions in Ilokano instead of your native language. Writing the definitions in Ilokano spurs a much better understanding of the language and aids in your recall of the words when needed.
Using an SRS program also lets us learn vocabulary from a wide selection of sources, not just grammar books. Like I mentioned previously, you can use news and magazine sources to draw from to learn words, as well as, any you hear in conversation or music. The phrase
The key is to use the SRS daily. It may take you as little as 10 minutes, but the compounded effects over time are great. Combining the SRS with mnemonics and you have a Pacquiao style one-two punch that will help you conquer the vocabulary sooner.
Hopefully this has provided you with one more tool to help you along. Until next time.
Photo courtesy: JacobMetcalf