Memorization Techniques

Rhyming

n    Create a rhyme to make information easy to remember.

n    For example, to remember the days in each month use the following rhyme:

n    Thirty days in September,

n    April, June and November;

n    All the rest have thirty-one

n    Except February is alone:

n    February only has twenty-eight, but thats fine,

n    Until a leap year, then theres twenty-nine.

Grouping

n    Organize material by grouping similar concepts, or related ideas, together.

n    Look at the following words: How would you group them?

n    Snowboarding, Skiing, Basketball, Tennis, Hockey, Baseball, Ice Skating (Winter Sports, Non-Winter Sports, etc)

Acrostics

n    It is easier to memorize a long list if it makes sense the way a sentence does.

n    Use the first letter of each word to be memorized to make a sentence.

n    The sillier, the better!

n    Here is an example that has been used for decades to memorize the Order of Operations:

n    Please (Parenthesis)

n    Excuse (Exponents)

n    My (Multiplication)

n    Dear (Division)

n    Aunt (Addition)

n    Sally (Subtraction)

Acronyms

n    Use the first letter of each concept to be learned to form one word.

n    The word(s) do not have to be real words as long as it is easy to remember.

n    Foil is an example to remember the order of multiplying numbers in parenthesis (3x4)(4x2)

n    First

n    Outer

n    Inner

n    Last

Chunking

n    The process of grouping information into small units to memorize easier.

n    When trying to remember how to spell words, chunk them. For example, to spell Connecticut, chunk it into Connect I cut.

n    When you learn a new phone number, chunk it into the area code, first three numbers then the last four numbers.

Visualization

n    Tap into your photographic memory as much as possible, use your minds eye.

n    To visualize information in texts or notes, close your eyes and form a picture of the page. Visualize the heading, boldface print, italics, and the general format to remind you of the sequence of ideas.

n    Graphic organizers are great to use when you are trying to memorize information visually.

 Visual Emphasis

n    Highlight, circle, box, or color portions of information that emphasize the key part or parts that are difficult for you to learn.

n    If you have pictures, doodles, scribbles, or any marks on the page that are not there for studying purposes, remove them when you revise your notes. If you dont, you will focus on marks that stick out that are not meant for memorization and it will inhibit you from learning the information you need to.

n    **Remember, color is a trigger for your photographic memory.

Charting

n    Helpful when you need to compare/contrast ideas.

n    It is a visual technique that can be stored in your photographic memory.

n    It can be used in any class/subject area.

Rehearsal

n    Simply repeat over and over what you need to remember.

n    Rehearsal is effective when trying to learn lines for a play.

n    The more you repeat the lines aloud over and over, the better it will stay in your memory.

 Keyword Method (Used With Learning Foreign Languages)

n    Select a foreign word that you need to remember.

n    Identify an English word that sounds like the foreign word.

n    Imagine an image that involves the key word with the English meaning of the foreign word.

n    For example, in Spanish, the word cabina means phone booth. Invent an image of a cab trying to fit into a phone booth. When you see the word cabina, you should be able to recall this image, which will cue its meaning.

Association

n    When memorizing separate facts, find ways to associate them and use that association in a phrase, a sentence, rhyme, or a story.

n    Things can be associated by:

n    Being placed on top of the associated object

n    Crashing or penetrating into each other

n    Merging together

n    Wrapping around each other

n    Rotating around each other or dancing together

n    Being the same color, smell, shape, or feeling

n    For example, when someone forgets my name (Alexis) I tell them to think of the car.

Chaining

n    Create a story where each word or idea you have to memorize will cue the next idea that you need to remember.

n    Anne Frank, Jewish, office, betrayed, concentration camp

n    Story: Anne Frank was a Jewish girl that was forced to hide in her fathers office. Her family was betrayed and they were taken to a concentration camp.

 Image-Name Technique

n    Invent a relationship between the name and the physical characteristics of the person.

n    Shirley Temple- her curly (rhymes with Shirley) hair around her temples.

Say It, Act It

n    This is a great strategy for memorizing dates, facts, and locations.

n    By combining physical (kinesthetic) movement, pictures and memory, you will be able to use movement as a trigger.

n     For example, when you are trying to remember facts, locations, or dates, assign them to a number and a picture.

 Loci Method

n    There are two steps to this method. First, memorize a series of familiar locations in a room you know well.

n    Second, place the items to be memorized with each location you have memorized.

n    For example, if you are trying to memorize which presidents are on certain bills: Place $1.00 on the door, $5.00 on the couch, and a $10.00 bill on the refrigerator. Visualize George Washington walking into the room and seeing Abraham Lincoln lounging on the couch while Alexander Hamilton is getting a snack from the refrigerator.