MSI Press Blog

  🧠 When Words Take the Scenic Route: Aging, Language, and the Gentle Art of Retrieval As I’ve grown older, I’ve noticed a subtle but persistent shift in how quickly I can summon certain words—especially names and everyday nouns. The knowledge hasn’t vanished; it’s still tucked safely in the archives. But the path to it has grown a little longer, like a familiar street that now has a few more stop signs. What used to be instantaneous—snapping to mind like a reflex—now takes a beat. Sometimes a few seconds. Occasionally, half a minute. It’s not alarming, just... different. And it turns out, it’s also completely normal. Cognitive research backs this up: while processing speed tends to slow with age, comprehension, vocabulary, and verbal reasoning often remain steady or even improve. Verbs and functional language—the linguistic glue of everyday conversation—are especially resilient. They’re used constantly, embedded in procedural memory, and rarely go missing. It’s the proper nouns,...

  If there’s one truth all language learners must face, it’s this: memory matters. Whether you’re building a basic vocabulary, mastering grammatical structures, or internalizing entire passages of speech, your ability to remember and retrieve what you’ve learned is central to your progress. And yes, this includes the much-maligned practice of rote memory. While modern teaching often favors “natural” learning and immersion, there’s no getting around the fact that some elements of language acquisition—like spelling, pronunciation, and syntax—benefit from repetition and memorization. But not all repetition is created equal. If you’ve ever struggled to retain a long word, complex sentence, or structured piece of discourse, you might be practicing in the wrong direction. Let me introduce you to a technique that makes memory work more efficiently : backward buildup . What Is Backward Buildup? Backward buildup is a simple yet powerful strategy that involves memorizing language startin...

  Whether you're studying a new language or just trying to expand your vocabulary in your native tongue, remembering words can feel like a never-ending uphill climb. You learn a word one day, feel confident about it… and then it vanishes the next time you need it. Sound familiar? The good news? You’re not alone. The better news? There are proven ways to make those words stick. Here are some simple, brain-friendly techniques to help you actually remember the words you learn—whether they’re new, foreign, or just elusive: 1. Don’t Just Read It—Use It One of the biggest mistakes we make when learning new words is passive exposure. We read it, maybe look it up, nod, and move on. But your brain is like a stubborn roommate—it won’t remember things unless it has to. So, make your brain use the word. Try: Writing your own sentence with the word. Saying it aloud. Using it in conversation—even if you have to force it in a bit awkwardly at first. The more active your engagement wi...