Unconscious memory in acquiring new vocabulary using flashcards

The Results of Two Stages in Students ' Testing

It is reasonable to state that unconscious words memorizing can be an effective way of foreign words learning. Using this methodology can facilitate both the learning and teaching process. Returning to the aim of the present research project, i.e. to analyze the efficiency of learning new vocabulary by voluntary observing flashcards with new words and their translation, as well as to research the potential time period these words can be stored in memory and the possible results of their restoring after some time, the paper underscores the fact that the position of flashcards towards the students plays a crucial role in words memorizing. Specifically, flashcards placed in front of the students have better results for words memorizing in comparison with the flashcards, placed sideways. The other outcome of the project lies in the fact that the more frequently students observed flashcards, the better were the results.

The results demonstrated that this method is a productive way to support the process of new vocabulary learning. Visual means of learning new information are efficiently used by a number of teachers for presenting new vocabulary. A great number of scholars have proven the efficiency of visual tools of memorizing information. In 1973, Standing presented 10,000 pictures to observers in his experiments to examine their memory capacity, and they remembered approximately 80% (Standing 1973). The other scholars (Brady et al., 2008) presented 2500 images, and the result was above 80% as well. The study of Bui and McDaniel (2015) proved the efficiency of a visual type of learning as well. Based on the results of their research, it has been concluded that illustrative diagrams, which are supported by text description, facilitate the learning process and recalling of information. The other study by Carney and Levin (2002) proves the efficiency of pictures in the information perception and learning excellence. It is important to mention that the authors highlight the indispensible role of pictures in a text intended for children with the help of which the language and literacy of kids are being improved. Moreover, pictures improve text comprehension, make the reader more focused on preventing the loss of attention, and facilitate mnemonic function. Concerning the mnemonic illustrations, Carney and Levin (2002) stressed upon the research done by Dretzke, mentioning that mnemonic illustrations foster recalling of text information among younger and middle-aged adults.

Having completed the experiment, we organized a questionnaire for a range of students from each group, who answered the principal question: "What served the facilitating function for you in the process of words memorizing? " In most cases, the answers were as follows: "Pictures helped to make associations", or "We have seen flashcards many times per week". Similar results were obtained in the study by Karpicke (2016). The paper emphasizes the role of retrieval in long-term learning, stating that the best way to learn new material is to create associations that can be easily retrieved from memory and can therefore promote long-term learning. In addition, it is important to constantly retrieve information from memory in order to acquire its nets for a longer period of time. The other factor, highlighted in the abovementioned article, that also supports the results of the present research, emphasizes the interconnection of visual and repeated learning. Karpicke mentioned that the most effective way of learning the words is the one when the repetitions are spaced. The study by Terada (2017) supports the role of associations and repetitions as well. The author stresses upon the repetition of learned information using tests, as well as modern applications and websites. Terada's study also claims that information is easy to remember when it is presented in different ways, especially using visual aids (flashcards, pictures, tables, etc.).

The research of Brady et al. (2008) proves the efficiency of long-term memory in storing massive information, especially when it comes to images. The authors also turned to presenting 2500 pictures to observers and told them to memorize these pictures. The results were outstanding and proved the efficiency of the method. In addition, the researchers showed the pictures in such a manner that one picture repeated on average once in eight images, and the results were tremendous as well. With this in mind, another research, conducted by Konkle et al. (2010) showcased the efficiency of image storage in memory when pictures are repeated. As far as our research is concerned, it should be mentioned that the students were observing a much smaller number of images than in the abovementioned experiment. On the other hand, the students were not told to memorize them, they did it unconsciously, having memorized words that denote those. So the image helped them to create associations. In addition, students had a different frequency of looking at pictures, as well as much longer time of their observance. However, our indicators are still lower than the ones of the abovementioned research, since there was a break of 16 weeks when students did not have the contact with previously presented images and words.

While doing our research, we took into account the notion and function of working memory in order to make the process of learning new words more effective. Moreover, new words should go through the working memory before entering the long-term memory. According to Schurgin et. al (2018), working memory is engaged when new and previously unstudied information is displayed to the students. In our experiment, students were facing new words and the images that they refer to. Therefore, the newly encoded information of the image and its semantics entered the long-term memory and was retrieved by stimuli (flashcards) for a multitude of times.

Moreover, Vulchanova et al. (2014) underlined that working memory is active in the tasks of retrieving information from the long-term memory. It plays a crucial role, particularly in the experiment conducted by the above listed group of scholars, proving that the visual semantics in combination with words has a better effect on memorizing information at length. It has also been proven by the current experiment, since students from Groups No. 2, No. 3 and No. 4 remembered almost the same amount of words as the students from Group No. 1 at the end of the experiment. However, the students from all Groups faced difficulties while recalling longer, multi-syllable words. Regarding this fact, Gathercole and Baddeley (1990) noticed such a tendency: immediate recalling declines when the length of the word increa ses. However, the experiment demonstrated that this statement could be applied to the long-term memory as well.

Other studies by Nikolic and Singer (2007) reiterate that working memory serves as a gate for the storage of information into the long-term memory. They mention that visual working memory plays an important role in the formation of visual long-term memory. Based on their second experiment, Nikolic and Singer even remarked that the time needed to memorize stimuli (images) was on average 30 seconds under the most difficult conditions. On the contrary, in our experiment the students had around 90 minutes to observe the pictures. Yet in the experiments by Nikolic and Singer there were no words encoding the meaning of the picture. In addition, the third experiment, examined in the abovementioned article, postulated that the performance of the long-term memory was 53%.

Gathercole and Baddeley (1990) also dealt with working memory, and their research puts the episodic long-term memory alongside the language and visual semantics. Moreover, the following observation was made: processing words in its perceptual appearance or spoken sound is less effective for words learning than learning them from their encoded meaning or its emotional tone.

In their studies, Sekeres et al. (2016) focused on recovering and preventing the loss of detailed memory. Such endeavor has proven that information retrieval from a memory with relatively little losses is possible shortly after it was encoded. Furthermore, their research foregrounds the importance of cues and repeated restorations in the process of memorizing and retaining of information in our memory. Therefore, one may state that memory retained the flashcards' information each time they were observed. In addition, these flashcards provided the cues, i.e. pictures and the words they mean. Thus, students memorized words well, as these two factors ensured the retention of words during a longer time period.

Vulchanova et al (2014) mentioned that memory is a key mechanism in language learning, emphasizing the importance of vocabulary development along with grammar among students. The researchers made a claim that it is often harder for students to acquire the meaning of abstract words than the meaning of words referring to physical objects. According to the authors, the ability to understand and learn abstract words depends on the semantic skills of each and every student. In the context of our research, we noticed that students faced some difficulties while learning abstract words (flashcards rendering the emotions). It is worth mentioning that students with better knowledge of a foreign language learned words referring to emotions faster and better than their peers with lower language competence.

An important factor that we took into consideration at the beginning of the experiment was whether flashcards should be in color or not. According to the research of Brady et al. (2013), color plays a principal role in visual long-term memory as well as in visual working memory. Taking into account the process of our experiment, it was decided to use colored flashcards for students in our research. To our mind, it helped to facilitate students in making associations and therefore memorizing new words.

Another factor worth considering is how the possible stress on testing memorized words could influence memory. The article by Smith et al (2016) notes that acute stress impairs memory retrieval. However, in our research students were not under any severe stress due to testing, since it did not have a chance to influence their semester mark. The location of flashcards and their distance as well as the frequency of their observance is also a crucial aspect of the experiment. Owing to this, we took into consideration the findings of the paper by Hughes et al. (2016). However, in contrast to the scholars, we placed our research focus not on auditory - verbal determinants of short-term memory, but on visual and spatial ones.

Conclusion

The results of the research can potentially find a wide range of practical implementation from parental teaching of their children to the university courses. However, it should be noted that the best way to use the method of voluntary observing of the words on flashcards is in connection with learning new vocabulary and its active use in speaking and writing. While the teacher presents new vocabulary and gives practical exercises to learn it, he/she can hang flashcards with these words on the wall in front of students in order to facilitate the learning process. The method can be widely used at home as well. People, living in a building, full of colored flashcards, which they notice while doing housework or just walking, can facilitate the process of learning a new language. In addition, when the children or students are bored with waiting for the teacher or doing mundane exercises, they try to distract and entertain themselves. Mainly, it is done by using a smartphone, however if they are not allowed to use smartphones they would carefully observe the room, sear ching for something interesting. In such a vein they would find brightly colored pictures with words. They keep reading them, at least in their mind, for a couple of times and thus memorize them.

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