Memorization Techniques Review

Aim: What techniques do we use to remember information?

Do Now:Write down what the following abbreviations mean?

Abbreviation	Abbreviation
FBI	CIA
MIA	WHO
PEHS	NYC
NBA	NFL
NEWS	MAINS

Lesson Overview:

Item	Approx Time
Do Now	5-7 Min
Mini Lesson	20-30in
Activity	30 Min
Discussion	20 Min

Memorizing

Increasing memory skills will help you memorize faster and remember more. You will be able to remember names, facts, dates,history, story lines, outlines, speeches, and more. Just follow these easy steps and you won't increase your memorization time, you will cut it in half. Your short term memory will improve and your long term memory will surprise you.

Memory itself probably cannot be developed; however, improvement in remembering comes from correcting certain habits or thoughts so that we use our memory to its’ fullest potential. Remembering is like seeing; improvement in either function does not depend upon how much we use it but, rather, how we use it.

The first and most important rule for remembering is: cultivate the habit of close attention to the thing you wish to remember. Be sure you have a clear, sharp impression of the face, name, date, or facts, which you will need to know at a future time. If you wish to remember a fact, make it meaningful to you.

When we are learning, we should try not only to get a strong impression but also to obtain as many different kinds of impressions as possible. Some people can remember colors distinctly, but have a poor memory for shapes. But anyone, by putting together and using all of the impressions our sense organs bring us about one thing, allows us to remember it much more clearly than if we were to rely on sight or sound alone. For example, try reading your lesson aloud. In doing this, your eye takes in the appearance of the printed word, your ear passes the sound of the words to your brain, and even the tension of the muscles of your throat add their bit to the total impression which your mind is expected to store away.

Try to visualize it. Either remember a diagram or a picture of the material to be remembered, or take short notes about it, which help you to visualize.

Intend to remember. The mere intention to remember puts the mind in a condition to remember, and if you will make use of this fact in studying you will be able to recall between 20 and 60 percent more of what you read and hear than you would if you were not actively trying to remember.

Think about it. A fact doesn't belong to you until you have used it. In making use of this principle, plan to spend not more than one-half of your study period in reading your lesson. Use the other half in doing something with what you learn. Think about what you have studied, write down notes on it, and explain it to somebody else.

Logical memory. One of the most important of all aids to the remembering process is the habit of associating a new idea immediately with facts or ideas that are already firmly lodged in your mind. This association revives and strengthens the old memories and prevents the new one form slipping away by anchoring it to the well-established framework of your mental world.

Strategies

Acronyms or Abbreviations

Create an acronym or an abbreviation that you can remember. Making a list abbreviation is a great technique. As an example, to remember the causes of World War One you can use the abbreviation: MAINS

M = Militarism

A = Alliances

I = Imperialism

N = Nationalism

S = Spark

Word Prefixes and Suffixes

By knowing root words, prefixes, and suffixes, you can put together meanings of many words, especially those in social studies.

Some examples are:

• Demos = People
• Cracy = Rule
  • Democracy = People Rule

• Meso = Middle/Between
• Potamia= Rivers
  • Mesopotamia = Land between the rivers (Tigris & Euphrates)

• Idea = a thought/idea
• 'ology = a science
  • Ideology = study of ideas/ political beliefs

• capital = Money
• ism = belief of/doctrine
  • Capitalism = Belief in making money/profit

For more word meanings try looking the word(s) up in the Etymology (word origins) Dictionary

Word Origins Chart

Flashcards

Flashcards are useful study tools. They help you with the repetition technique. You can use our Online Flashcards for Global History & Geography

Repetition

1. Use verbal and listening repetition to help you remember the order of things.
2. Read the first object.
3. Say it without the paper.
4. Read the first and second object.
5. Repeat them aloud until you are able to say them without the paper.
6. Read the first, second, and third objects.
7. Say them aloud until you are able to remember them.
8. Repeat this process until you can say all the objects without the paper.
9. Once you are at end of the list, repeat the list without reading it. Say it aloud three times.
10. If you cannot do it all three times, start all over.

Writing & Rewriting

You can put information into memory by writing them down, and rewriting them. A useful technique would be to rewrite your notes each nite into while adding information to them.

Classwork & Homework

Lesson Video:

• Memorization Techniques
• Selected Attention Test

Lesson Activity: Memorization Handout

Homework: Work on Memorization Packet - Due Fri 2/10/2012