Using MindMaps to Learn English Vocabulary

Using MindMaps to Learn English Vocabulary MindMaps are one of my favorite tools for helping students learn new vocabulary. I also frequently use MindMaps to think creatively for other projects that Im working on. MindMaps help us to learn visually.   Create a MindMap Creating a MindMap can take some time. However, it doesnt need to be complicated. A MindMap can be simple: Take a piece of paper and group vocabulary by theme, for example, school.   Who are the people at school?What kind of objects are in the classroom?What are the different types of classes?Which jobs do the people at school have?Which different types of students are there? Once you have created a MinMap you can expand. For example, from the above example with school, I could create a whole new area for the vocabulary used in each subject. MindMaps for Work English Lets apply these concepts to the workplace. If you are learning English in order to improve the English you use at work. You might want to consider the following subjects for a MindMap Titles of ColleaguesTitles of Customers / ClientsActions (verbs)Equipment I use EverydayMy ResponsibilitiesImportant Phrases to Use When Writing Emails In this example, you could expand on each category. For example, you could branch off categories from Colleagues to include what they do, or you could build out the vocabulary for each type of equipment you use at work. The most important factor is to let your mind guide you as you group vocabulary. Youll not only improve your English vocabulary, but you will quickly gain a better understanding of how the various items in your MindMaps interact. MindMaps for Important Combinations Another way to use a MindMap for vocabulary is to focus on grammar constructions when creating your MindMap. Lets take a look at verb combinations. I could arrange a MindMap using these categories: Verbs Gerund (ing form - doing)Verbs Infinitive (to do)Verbs Pronoun Base Form (do)Verbs Pronouns Infinitive (to do)   MindMaps for Collocations Another vocabulary activity that MindMaps can really help with is learning collocations. Collocations are words that are commonly used together. For example, take the word information. Information is a very general term, and we have all sorts of specific types of information. Information is also a noun. When working on collocations with nouns there are three main areas of vocabulary to learn: adjectives/verb noun/noun verb. Here are the categories for our MindMap: Adjective InformationInformation NounVerb InformationInformation Verb You can expand this MindMap on information further by exploring specific collocations with information used in specific professions. The next you start focusing on vocabulary, try to start using a MindMap. Start off on a piece of paper and become used to organizing your vocabulary in this manner. Next, start using a MindMap program. This will take some extra time, but you will quickly become used to learning vocabulary with this aid. Print off a MindMap and show it to some other students. Im sure theyll be impressed. Perhaps, your grades will start improving as well. In any case, using MindMaps will certainly make learning new vocabulary in English much easier than just writing down words on a list! Now that you understand the use of MindMaps, you can download a free version to create your own MindMaps by searching for Freemind, an easy-to-use open source software program. Now that you understand how to use MindMaps for learning new vocabulary and grammar, youll need some help on how to  create vocabulary lists. Teachers can use this reading comprehension MindMapping lesson to help students apply these technics in reading to help improve comprehension.

Take in Stride

Take in Stride Take in Stride Take in Stride By Maeve Maddox A reader is curious about the expression â€Å"to take in stride†: What exactly does it mean and where does the expression come from? The verb stride is one of those lovely old words to survive from Old English. As an intransitive verb, stride means to walk with long or extended steps. The word connotes confidence and purpose. The past tense is strode; the past participle is stridden. The word is frequent in tales of knighthood: From out of the forest strides Merlin, dramatic, cape flowing When [the Green Knight] came to the water he would not wade it, but sprang over with the pole of his axe and strode boldly over the brent that was white with snow. The White Knight had stridden  confidently forward, armor glinting in the sun Stride is alive and well in contemporary contexts: From the start there was something about Woods’ air of invincibility that rubbed me the wrong way as I  watched him stride  down a fairway. It was a case of playing for pride when The Reds strode out onto the field for the final metro of the spring season. The verb bestride is not much used by modern writers, but can be found in literature. It means â€Å"to straddle or to step across.† For example, one bestrides a horse. A victor bestrides his enemy as he stands above him with a foot at each side of the prostrate body. Cassius vividly describes the ambitious Caesar as a giant standing high above ordinary people: Why, man, he doth bestride the narrow world Like a Colossus, and we petty men Walk under his huge legs and peep about To find ourselves dishonorable graves. As a noun, stride refers to a long step taken in walking: Having a longer stride can give you the edge you need when it comes to competing in a race.   In late 2007, the crossing [of Ladd Creek] was simply a long stride from one large rock to another. Idioms like â€Å"take in stride† are based on the noun. Here are the most common: to take in stride: to accept advances or setbacks as normal, to be dealt with as they arise. The image is of a person walking along without stopping for distractions. Examples: Successful traders take losses in stride. There was a time when Americans  took political  cartoons  in stride Paul Ryan  takes  fame and hecklers  in stride. to get into stride/to hit one’s stride: to reach a comfortable and efficient pace. Runners use this idiom in a literal sense to refer to getting into stride before reaching their optimum pace. Figuratively, it refers to the process of settling into a new job or situation. Examples: But Higuain is not the only striker who has struggled to get into his stride in front of goal in this tournament. How Long Did It Take To Hit Your Stride? to make strides: to make progress Lauvao making  strides  as he adjusts  to  Washingtons offense Future MBAs  Make Career Strides to break stride: to deviate from a steady pace while walking, running, or marching. This is another sports term that may be used literally. Figuratively, â€Å"to break stride† would be to pause or stop whatever one is doing. Paper blowing across the track can cause a horse to break stride. Rocco followed with a spiel that I clocked at five minutes and that never broke stride or, to my ear, approached coherence. to put off stride: to cause someone to deviate from a steady stride or movement in sports; to interfere with someone’s expected progress; to disconcert. The horse left his feet and was thrown  off stride  for a brief time. We like people who can laugh at themselves, who can find something risible in the news, and who may put an opponent off stride with some anecdotal jibes. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Handy Expressions About HandsSocial vs. Societal20 Names of Body Parts and Elements and Their Figurative Meanings