Language Layouts: Vocabulary

Hi, I'm Damien. I'm a failed language learner. But on the plus side, I'm not afraid to try new things and fail at them until I get better. This template has been a work in progress for twenty-five years, to be exact!

This is the vocabulary learning template I wish I'd had all those years ago when I struggled with Spanish, my first second language. Back then, my attempts at learning vocabulary consisted of messy, unorganized notes.

My vocab recording system — if you could even call it that — was a bin where words went to die. Words were scribbled in notebooks, rarely reviewed, and quickly forgotten, leaving me with no meaningful progress.

The words were never to be seen, heard, or used again!

Language Layouts: Vocabulary

This template is a solution to that problem. It provides a structured approach for recording vocabulary, including spaced repetition, vocabulary prompts, and expert tips.

I've created a system for English learners to take their vocabulary to the next level. English words often have multiple meanings, and when expert readers encounter a word, they activate all their knowledge about that word and its related terms.

This vocabulary system is about making as many connections with a word as possible. If you never unlock the multiple meanings or senses of a word, you'll never break through to the intermediate level.

To truly know a word, you need to uncover all its aspects—including pronunciation, usage, and collocations, to name a few.