Learning Strategies
Flashcards
You are more than likely to be familiar with boxes full of flashcards from language learning contexts. There are now computer programs and apps that will file the flashcards for you, and we have included a number of corresponding links in Section 6. Whether you opt to stay analogue or go digital, the basic method is always the same.
Method
Once flashcards have been created for each chunk of information they are all placed in the first compartment of the box.
If the learner correctly remembers the information on the back of a flashcard it is placed in the second/next compartment. Once all the flashcards have made it to the last compartment it can be assumed that it all the information they contain has been stored in the learner’s long-term memory.
If the learner fails to retrieve the information from their memory or gives a wrong answer the flashcard in question is placed back in the first compartment.
Source [1]
NB: Flashcards are not suitable for all learning scenarios! The method lacks context and is therefore unsuitable for the revision of content involving complex interconnectivities. This applies in particular to the mastering of difficult transfer tasks such as legal case studies and biological processes.
Example
- Latin names, e.g. for bones
- Individual facts
- Definitions
- Schematic diagrams
- Arguments for key legal disputes (e.g. theft vs. extortion by means of force)
- Subjects characterised by a focus on individual facts
- Civil procedure law, criminal procedure law, criminal law (case studies)
- Vocabulary and the translation thereof
- Definitions, e.g. “what is a ‘dipthong’?”, “what is ‘universal grammar’?”, etc.
The flashcard method guards against the “recency effect”. This term describes the fact that we tend to best remember the first and last things we learned, for example the first and last words in a vocabulary list. This is also the reason why learning objectives should not only be stated at the start of a lecture, but also recapitulated at the end.
When we learn a vocabulary list by heart our memory uses the order in which the words are arranged as one of its retrieval cues. As a result, if we always revise the list in the same order there is a risk of us being unable to associate between the word in the source language and the translation without the aid of the previous term in the list.
In the case of flashcards, the continuous refiling of the cards varies the order in which they are encountered and therefore prevents the recency effect from occurring.
Do you already revise with the aid of flashcards? If so, ask yourself how you could enhance the way you use them. If not, think about whether or not they might be a good option for you.
The following questions are designed to assist these self-reflective processes:
- What works well based on my experience to date?
- What opportunities do I see to optimise the way I use flashcards?
- What other opportunities and techniques for regular revision and testing can I think of?
- Would flashcards be a suitable option for me?
- If so, how could I integrate flashcards into my daily routine?
- What other opportunities and techniques for regular revision and testing can I think of?
Tip
As mentioned above, there are a huge range of both free and paid apps on the market. Depending on your own personal preferences (e.g. in terms of design, input options, pre-prepared flashcards, etc.) it is worth taking a look around before deciding which one is right for you.
The advantage of learning apps: They are a great way to pass the time in waiting rooms, on buses and in plenty of other places besides!