Flash cards are an excellent way to help visual learners build their vocabulary. Since visual learners process information most effectively with visual images, illustrations are a powerful way to help them remember words and phrases. With young students, you can create basic flash cards for single words like a photo of a tree, bird, dog or fish with a picture of that object above the word. On the other side of the flash card, print just the word without the image. Introduce students to new words with pictures first. After running through them together a few times, use the other side of the cards to see if students are connecting the words with the images. After practice, they should be able to recall the images when seeing the word alone.
For older students who are able to read, use flash cards with compelling images to illustrate phrases. Connect these multi-phrase descriptions with more advanced words. When paired with compelling, memorable images, visual learners will be able to recall the meaning for the word. Place a picture of a cat stuck in a tree or a mouse cornered by a cat to illustrate the phrase “scared to death.” Then write the word “petrified” below the image with the phrase below that. Pair a picture of a woman jumping in the air with a broad-faced grin to illustrate the phrase “jumping for joy” and the word “elation.” Have just the word on the other side of the flashcard and move to testing recall with words alone after moving through the image side of the cards a few times.
Encourage visual learners to take notes when listening to a lecture, sermon or audio message. Looking at the words is a good way for visual learners to retain what they hear. To improve vocabulary, design a series of lectures or messages which contain at least a few words that you believe the student has not yet been exposed to. Instruct the student to write down any words which he doesn’t know the meaning for or which he had not heard before while listening to the message. After listening, the student should go look those words up in the dictionary and then draw a picture to illustrate the word or concept. Review the words with the student to ensure he’s getting the proper interpretation of the word and catching the expanded vocabulary words you know are included in the messages.
Expose the student to five new vocabulary words. Provide the spelling and definitions, without photos or images. Look at the words with the student one at a time. Have the student study a word and then close his eyes and recite the word to himself out loud three times. While his eyes are shut, instruct him to visualize the letters that make up the word, in their proper order, in his mind to help him remember the word and what it means. Help him understand that a visual recollection of the letters will aid him in remembering both how to spell that word and correctly recall its meaning.