Only ten minutes a day, because if you learn a little vocabulary every day – around 10 minutes is ideal – you won’t have to spend hours studying for vocabulary tests or exams.
Set realistic goals, i.e. learn 5 to 10 words a day rather than 70 words a week. With the small units, you can expect to learn between 150 and 300 words per month.
Learn in word groups, because the vocabulary in a lesson usually revolves around one topic. Therefore, combine the individual words into groups and learn them in blocks, e.g. all verbs that have to do with sports.
It is especially helpful for beginners in a foreign language if they recognise the new vocabulary in a reading context. For this reason, foreign-language advertising texts or children’s books, for example, are very good for reading because they are written in a simple style.
If you simply watch your favourite TV series in the original language with English subtitles, you can learn many idioms and vocabulary words as you go along, and your pronunciation usually improves as well.
When you have finished your daily vocabulary unit, you can reward yourself with a sweet or something else that is fun and motivating.