10 Powerful Memory Techniques To Help Kids Learn And Remember Better

Simply put, memory is recalling required information when you want it. A good memory is an important requisite for academic success. But a child's memory prowess is not a given. The good news is, it can always be increased by using specific techniques.

With the widespread use of technology and artificial intelligence, the question arises: Is memory still as relevant in the 21st century as it was before? For instance, when you can use a calculator, why memorize multiplication tables?

Human memory will always be important. We use cars and lifts for our convenience despite having legs to walk and climb. Similarly, technology is just an aid; it should never become our master, says Hyderabad-based memory technique expert, Squadron Leader Jayasimha (retd).

Since there's an attempt to reduce rote learning in education, perhaps memory is not so important for students these days. "That is not the case. All exams are based on memory, as knowledge is stored in the memory. Of course, it's better if concepts are understood before they are memorized. Today, when students face multiple distractions and struggle with concentration, memory techniques have gained importance," he emphasizes.

TECHNIQUES TO REMEMBER

A good working memory is vital for children for a variety of reasons. It helps in accessing information, following instructions, holding a conversation, reasoning, and problem-solving. For instance, if you ask your child to shop for five items, he may not need a written list if he has a sharp working memory. Working memory is also closely linked to learning, as it governs how easily a child learns to read, or how quickly they do mental math.

Here are 10 effective techniques to improve your child's memory:

1. Visualization: This is a powerful memory aid, as the brain processes images more easily than words. If your child has to remember the steps of a science experiment, ask them to close their eyes and think about doing each step in their mind. This is a surefire way of getting them to remember the steps and their sequence.

A 2016 Saudi Arabian study, titled 'From Memorising to Visualising: The Effect of Using Visualisation Strategies to Improve Students Spelling Skills' concluded that visualization has a significant impact on improving spelling skills. Students found it interesting and motivating. The strategy also helped them overcome their anxiety and made them more confident.

2. Creating a story: If you list 10 words and ask your child to recall them, it would be difficult for them. Instead, if you weave those words into a story, they will connect the words, thereby remembering them better. A story will also hook them and keep them focused.

3. Utilizing the senses: Flashcards, pictures and diagrams are visual aids that can help your child remember things. Rhymes and songs help develop auditory memory. They will remember what they hear. Similarly, when they create something with their hands, they are using the sense of touch to remember a concept. The more your child involves the senses, the better they will retain the information.

Rhymes and songs help develop auditory memory. They will remember what they hear. Similarly, when they create something with their hands, they are using the sense of touch to remember a concept

4. Active learning: Compared with reading textbooks (which is a passive exercise), answering questions and taking practice tests are active ways of learning. Likewise, debates and discussions among peers are active, while watching videos and listening to podcasts are passive exercises. Active learning is a great way to improve memory.

Asking questions is also active learning. A 2015 US study, titled 'Memory Strategies Used By Teachers' explains how retrieval of new information is easier when it's linked to older information. That's why when a student asks questions, especially the why questions, they're able to remember the new information and the answer better.

5. Creating a mnemonic: This is a way to remember large amounts of information and can be in the form of a song, acronym, phrase, or sentence. For instance, a popular mnemonic is Kids Prefer Cheese Over Fried Green Spinach. Here, the first letter of each word relates to the order of taxonomy: Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, and Species. FANBOYS is a common acronym that helps children remember common conjunctions: For, an, nor, but, or, yet, and so.

6. Applying concepts to daily life: If youre thinking of buying a carpet, ask your child to help you find out the dimensions of the room. If they measure the length and breadth of the room, they will not only understand the concepts of area and circumference but also remember the formulas to calculate them!

7. Reading aloud: Reading aloud the information they need to remember will help your child concentrate better. An allied technique is to teach a peer or a parent what they're trying to memorize. This will strengthen their concepts and help them remember them more easily.

8. Writing it down: Writing down what needs to be memorized is useful. When your child has to remember concepts, ask them to rewrite them in their own words.

9. Organizing information: Breaking down information into smaller chunks and systematically arranging them is a good technique to remember the information easily. For instance, if you're teaching your child to remember the states of India, you could categorize them as those in the West, East, North and South. If they could visualize the map of India while learning, it would be ideal!

Creating a list of keywords and using it to build associations between each word and concept is another way of organizing information.

10. Finding a meaningful link: Sometimes, linking something that needs to be memorized, to life and emotions, helps. Instead of learning the examples given in the textbook, ask your child to think of examples from their own life.

So, however far technology advances, the human brain and its memory power need to be constantly strengthened. That's why helping your child learn a few memory techniques at a young age is a good idea.

EXPERT TAKE

Sqn Ldr Jayasimha (retd), president of the World Memory Sports Council for India, shares with us two of his favorite memory techniques:

Substitution method: The brain processes information in picture language. When I say dinosaur, it's the image of the animal that comes to your mind, not the spelling. However, in certain cases, words don't lend themselves to visualization. For instance, if you have to learn the fact that the capital of Hungary is Budapest, it is necessary to break up the words into a picture format in some creative way. A child could connect Hungary to 'hungry' and link Budapest to a Buddhist. By imagining a Buddhist monk who is very hungry and asking for food, a child will be able to remember the facts with ease. This technique is particularly useful to remember legal jargon and scientific and technical terms.

Phonetic method: This method is useful when you have to remember numerical facts and dates. In this method, every number from 0 to 9 is linked to different sounds produced by words and phrases.

1 = t or d sound

2 = n sound

3 = m sound

4 = r sound

5 = l sound

6 = j, ch, or sh sound

7 = k or hard g sound

8 = f or v sound

9 = p or b sound

0 = z or s sound

Note: Vowels and the consonants W, H, and Y are ignored in the above list.

Here's an example of how you can use this method. If your child has to remember the number of bones in the human body, which is 206, they can think of the nose and jaw bones.

Now, let's decode NOSE JAW.

Step 1: Ignore the letters and sounds that are excluded from the phonetic key, i.e., ignore any vowel (here, O, E, and A) and the consonants, W, H, and Y.

Step 2: Now, you'll be left with N, S, J.

Step 3: Match the letters to the numbers:

N stands for 2

S stands for 0

J stands for 6

Your child only needs to memorize the phonetic key, which is not difficult. If you look at the code, you'll notice that the sounds grouped produce similar lip and tongue movements. With that key, you can create silly phrases and visualize them to remember dates, events, passcodes, or any other information associated with numbers.

For more information, please contact: visionjay@gmail.com

Aruna Raghuram is a freelance writer from Ahmedabad.