Vocabulary flashcards are a very effective learning tool if used in the right manner. A repetitive technique involving a combination of known and unknown words known as interspersing has multiple techniques of application. Drill sandwich and incremental rehearsal are two popular techniques of interspersing.

The drill sandwich technique consists of a ratio of 30% unknown and 70% known words. “Unknown items are interspersed with known items and the entire set of words is rehearsed three times.” (MacQuarrie, L p.585) Multiple studies have shown that using a ratio of 100% of unknown words is less effective than when there is a ratio of known words.

Carrying on from using a ratio of known and unknown vocabulary flashcards, the incremental rehearsal technique has a ratio of 10% unknown to 90% known words. Though this method has been found to be much more effective than the drill sandwich technique, it is much more time consuming. The procedure for the incremental rehearsal technique involves introducing one unknown word at a time and adding it to the list of known words once it is learned. Since the known words are displayed more than once, the older words are retained while the new words are introduced.

Two different studies conducted independently about 6 years apart have shown very similar results. Nist’s and Laurice’s study found results very similar to MacQuarrie’s study. Both studies have found incremental rehearsal to be more effective yet less efficient than the drill sandwich approach. One can come to think that the drill sandwich approach is used more often than incremental rehearsal due solely to the amount of limited time available in schools.

Just because the drill sandwich technique is not as effective as incremental rehearsal does not mean it is ineffective. Again, due to the time crunch in schools, the drill sandwich appears to be more plausible in the real world since perfection is very difficult to reach in a time restricted learning environment.

In conclusion, the most effective vocabulary flashcard technique is not used because of the length of time it takes to perform. It appears as if the drill sandwich technique appears optimum in today’s vocabulary building for its balance of efficiency and effectiveness and therefore is used more often than the less efficient but more effective incremental rehearsal technique.

References

Nist, Land Laurace, J 2008, “Effectiveness and Efficiency of Flashcard Drill Instructional Methods on Urban First-Graders’ Word Recognition, Acquisition, Maintenance, and Generalization”, School Psychology Review, vol. 37, no. 3, pp. 294-308, http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/

MacQuarrie, L; Tucker, J; Burns, M; Hartman B 2002, “Comparison of Retention Rates Using Traditional, Drill Sandwich, and Incremental Rehearsal Flash Card Methods”, School Psychology Review, vol. 31, no. 4, pp. 584-595, http://search.ebscohost.com.ezproxy.apollolibrary.com/