Studying vs. retention

When I first tried to practice Spanish after finishing the Assimil self-study course (El Nuevo Español Sin Esfuerzo or Spanish with Ease), I encountered my share of difficulties. One of them was that there were many words, including some rather basic ones, which I didn't know when I tried to read Spanish texts on the Internet.

I was almost stupid enough to believe that the course was inadequate. However, realizing I had always been forgetful, I went through some of the lessons again and found that many of these words have been introduced in the course, perhaps even several times. The problem was that I didn't remember them.

Simply going through certain materials, like reading an article or hearing them on television, does not ensure retention. In the case of vocabulary, it is important to employ some method, like flashcards, to avoid forgetting everything. You many prefer other methods, such as jotting them down on a notebook or through electronic means, but there has to be some way to enhance your memory. This applies not only to lessons in a self-study course, but also things you learn during classes and when you're practicing in a native environment.