Free Vocabulary Notebook Template for Studying Vocabulary
One way for students to improve their vocabulary studies is to use a vocabulary notebook. I’ve create a free template you can use to create an interactive notebook; to download it: Get the free template.
Incorporating a vocabulary notebook into a language classroom is a great way to encourage students to focus on learning words:
- It gives them a way to collect all their words in one place
- It provides a framework for elaborating knowledge about words
- This Vocab Victor template features a way for students to quiz themselves by groups of ten words
- Over time, notebooks will show them their vocabulary progress (and can also be used for review)
- Research shows that students remember things better when they write out their notes by hand
- The notebook centers vocabulary as worthy of time and attention
Here is a video showing how to set up and use the template:
Setting up the template
This template works with a standard 70-page, college-ruled, spiral-bound notebook. It is designed to teach 100 words:
- 50 sheets with words (one word on each side)
- 10 sheets with quizes
- 9 sheets for the index
To set up the template, print page 1 on white paper.
Cut it out and tape it to the front of your notebook. Fill it out with your name, the date, you class information, etc. If you are keeping more than one notebook you can number them.
Next, print out page 2 on white paper. Trim it, and tape it to the inside cover. These are the instructions.
Print out page 3 on colored paper. Each rectangle is used to quiz a word. Cut out three sides, and fold the fourth.
Number the first 10 pages in your notebook. Be sure to use both sides of the paper! This will let you learn 100 words in the notebook. Don’t number the 11th page. Instead, tape the quiz page here. (You can number and add quiz sheets now to all the pages, or do it as you go along.)
Print out page 4 on white paper. Cut out one of the tab strips; If you are a teacher, I put multiple strips on each sheet to save paper.
Cut out each tab. Tape it to the notebook, starting with XYZ on the last sheet in the notebook, then UVW on the second-to-last sheet, and so forth.
Finally, print out page 5 on white paper.
Trim it and tape it to the back cover. These are some word puzzles for you to do.
Using the notebook
You can either use the notebook to learn word lists that your teacher gives you, or add your own words as you find them in reading, talking to people, watching TV, etc.
The instructions on the inside cover provide a template for each page.
- In the middle of the page, draw a circle. Write the word in the circle.
- Now draw lines, following the template, to divide the page into four sections.
- In the upper right, write down where you learned the word. Then, write down a sentence using the word.
- In the upper left, write down the meaning of the word. You can look up the definition in a dictionary, but it’s better to use your own words so that you are sure to understand it.
- In the bottom right, write down associations for the word. These can be synonyms, similar types of things, opposites, or even the translation for the word in your language.
- In the bottom left, draw an image to help you remember the word. This can be a picture of what the word is, or any picture that will give you an association.
- Go to the quiz page. On one of the rectangles, open the flap and write down the meaning (or translation) for the word on the sheet under the flap. Now close the flap and write the word on the outside. This gives you a way to review your words so you are sure you understand them
- Now go to the Index page for the first letter in the word, I. Enter the word and the page number. As your notebook fills up, you will be able to look up your words and find them easily.
That’s it! If you find this notebook helpful, please share the link to this page on social media! If you have feedback, please contact me and let me know!