by Keisha Centa Putri
Memorizing vocabulary is perhaps one of the most challenging parts of learning English, as words are easily forgotten, difficult to apply, and can feel somewhat stiff when used. Many people have tried flashcards and repetition, but still struggle to apply them in real-life conversations. The problem isn’t simply a lack of practice, but rather that we store words as mere text, not as experiences.
The synesthesia method turns words into experiences by using multiple sensory cues, such as colors, shapes, and sounds as media. For those of you who are visual and creative learners, this method is ideal because it makes words much easier to remember, more personal, and allows them to be used naturally.
To get started, first, associate the word with something. For example, associate “calm” with the color bright blue and the ocean. As you imprint this in your mind and keep training yourself to think of “calm” whenever you see the ocean, you’ll be able to “feel” the word without having to think too hard.
Next, use the word in a sentence while recalling its association. For example, say “I feel calm today” while visualizing the ocean and bright blue. This trains your brain to connect the word with that specific context, rather than just seeing it as text without personal meaning.
Finally, and most importantly, make the practice fun. Add music, images, or even movement. For example, associate “excited” with bright yellow, the sun, or a song with a fast beat. This will make learning feel like play and fun, not just memorization.
The synesthesia method can be a learning technique that helps you remember and use vocabulary more naturally because it creates personal associations within you. Start by choosing a few words each day, select an association such as a shape, color, sound, music, or movement, and then use them in sentences while visualizing the association.
As a concrete example of the application of this synesthesia method, Daniel Tammet, a mathematical and linguistic genius who has memorized over 22,500 digits of pi and speaks 11 languages, can demonstrate how the synesthesia method in learning can enhance the learning and memory processes themselves. He perceives numbers as colors, shapes, sounds, and textures, allowing them to appear as visual images in his mind. This demonstrates that linking information to experience can make understanding and memory stronger and more natural.
Make sure you do this consistently so your brain gets used to processing words automatically without having to translate them manually, making their use feel faster, easier, and more natural.
Source:
- Cleveland Clinic. (2023, March 5). Synesthesia. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/24995-synesthesia
- TESOL. (2024, October 23). Exploring synesthesia: A unique tool for teaching English in the TESOL classroom. Tesol. https://americantesol.com/blogger/meet-ai-teacher-bethany-review-learning-styles/
- Kolarova, M. (2025, April 29). How synaesthesia improves language learning and boosts English fluency. English Study Helper. https://englishstudyhelper.com/synaesthesia-improves-language-learning/#How_to_Apply_Synaesthetic_Techniques_in_English_Learning
- Jawer, M. (2014, August 16). Daniel Tammet: An autistic (and synesthetic) savant. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/feeling-too-much/201408/daniel-tammet-autistic-and-synesthetic-savant
