Although current curriculums outline a number of ways to encourage understanding and application, memorization is still a valuable skill to hone as a student. From vocabulary words to historic events, memorization is often the first step in mastery. While every student learns differently, below are six ways to help an individual memorize using a wide range of skills and strengths.
1. Mnemonic Devices
Mnemonic devices are, arguably, the most common memorization strategy. There are quite a few variations of this technique, including the two well-known ones, acrostics and arranged words. To better explain these methods, we will use the five great lakes: Superior, Michigan, Huron, Ontario, and Erie. An acrostic involves assigning a word to each first letter to create a description or sentence. A sample acrostic for these lakes is: Someone Made Her an Egg Omelette (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario). This can be a great tutoring activity. The tutor and student can both come up with useful acrostics. Sometimes, the funnier the sentence, the more memorable it becomes, so have fun with it! We can also used the arranged word method by taking the first letter of each word and creating a larger word to use for recall. One of the most recognized example is HOMES (Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Once a mnemonic device has been crafted, the student has a more concise and memorable way to recall the information. Mnemonic devices are fun to create and easy to use!
Find out more about mnemonics at http://college.cengage.com/collegesurvival/wong/essential_study/6e/assets/students/protected/wong_ch06_in-depthmnemonics.html.
2. Chunking Information
The chunking method is widely used for larger exams and units of study. If a student is overwhelmed by the volume of material needed to be memorized, start chunking the information into smaller sections. Neuroscientist, Daniel Bor, once did a study on memorization by giving a young man a series of numbers to memorize and truncating or lengthening the strand of digits according to the young man’s performance. At the end of an approximately 20 month trial, this man went from memorizing seven digits to a whopping 80 digits. This was done by chunking. One example would be taking a series of numbers (say 2248341923) and chunking it into smaller units to reflect a phone number (224-834-1923). Another way is to visually separate information into smaller units. A study guide on World War II could be intimidating if a student simply copies down all the notes taken in class. By finding similarities, patterns, and subsections, a student can better process the information. This study guide may have sections labeled “Causes,” “Allies,” and “Economic Effects.” Chunking allows students to focus on smaller sections rather than overwhelming themselves with too much information at once.
Learn more about this technique at http://www.dashe.com/blog/learning/chunking-memory-retention/.
3. Auditory Memorization
There is a reason people pick up song lyrics quicker than vocabulary definitions. Researchers largely attribute our talent to memorize songs to repetition, rhyme and pattern, and intonation, among other variables. Instead of staring at a piece of paper with names, dates, and definitions, try recording the information to process auditorily. Listening to the information allows you to study on the go, speak along with the recording, and process patterns along the way. For the more musically-inclined, information can also be turned into a song. Choosing a well known tune can help organize material into more palatable and memorable forms. A more traditional way of doing so is to use flashcards and a partner. Talking about the information aloud can help identify any gaps in knowledge.
4. Verbal and Written Repetition
Repetition is key to any method you choose. Two ways to use repetition independently is to write or recite the information consecutively and often. Difficult words or definitions are easy to practice with. If a student is learning about Shakespeare and must remember that deus ex machina means “god from the machine,” have them write the word 5-10 times until it is mastered. Add in the definition and have the student write this down another 5-10 times. Once it is in your hand, it is in your head. A simplified process for younger students is “Read, Spell, Cover, Write, Check.” This asks students to read the word, spell it aloud, cover up the word, write it on a separate piece of paper, and check for accuracy. This can also be done verbally through call and response technique (tutor says, student repeats) or simple verbal repetition that can be done on your own.
5. Association Techniques
Have the student work in different areas or positions. For example, if a student has a test on several US presidents, have them study George Washington at their desk, John Adams while lying on the floor, Thomas Jefferson in a chair facing the wall, and Abraham Lincoln under the table. When students are in different environments or conditions, they can associate certain information with that state. When the student is asked a question about Adams, they can picture themselves lying down on the floor and remember the facts more easily. Notes can also be color coded for simple visual associations or by assigning a mental image to a set of information or idea and picturing that image when tested.
Learn how to use association in your practice at http://www.memory-improvement-tips.com/best-memory-trick.html.
6. Gamify Your Studies
A more interactive and engaging technique would be to use common games to study and memorize material. The classic game of memory can be created with index cards. Place a word or concept on one card and the corresponding definition/explanation on another. Mix all cards together and place face down. Flip the cards over to try and match the correct cards together. You can also try using manipulatives such as shapes and captions to match together. Get innovative! Trivial pursuit may be used to reflect study material, or other games such as “Go To the Head of the Class.”
More suggestions can be found at https://www.oxford-royale.co.uk/articles/7-ways-gamify-studies.html.