Mnemonic 4: Keyword Technique

By Rebecca, Bobbie, Alfie and Samantha

Keyword techniqueAtkinson developed this technique in 1985. It is frequently used in order to help increase vocabulary in a foreign language.

This technique consists of three different processes. The processes are• The Acoustic stage• The visual-image stage• Rehearsal

Keyword technique

This technique is used to remember foreign languages. It works by associating the foreign word you want to learn with a word that sounds similar to the foreign word, You then link the English meaning to the Keyword.

The acoustic stage

In this stage the foreign word is heard as it would usually be pronounced. The word should usually have a English word that is similar. The word that is similar becomes the Keyword.

The visual-image stage

In this stage you will form an image in your head which will be a combination of the English sound and the English translation of the foreign word.

Rehearsal

The image that you have formed would then be rehearsed, therefore it will stay in your memory.

When the foreign word comes up, the image will come to mind and generate the English meaning.

Example

Cabina is the Spanish word for phone booth .Cabina is the word that you will want to remember.You should be able to make the association that Cabina consists of the words ‘Cab’ and ‘in a’

As the word means Phone booth you could imagine a image like this…

CAB IN A Phone boothIf you remember this image you should remember the Spanish word and translation.