Off the Beaten Path: Memory Techniques

Hall Houston
Hall Houston is an English Instructor at City University of Hong Kong, English Language Centre. His first book, The Creative Classroom, was published in 2007 by Lynx Publishing (www.lynxpublishing.com). His professional interests include cross-cultural communication, discourse analysis, creativity and critical thinking. E-mail: hallhouston@yahoo.com 
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Introduction
Look, snap, connect
Memory palaces
Number-shape system
Story
Review
Resources

Introduction

Second language learners need to develop their memory skills in order to deal with the new vocabulary they see every day. Teachers can help by making them aware of methods to improve retention of new words and phrases. The following techniques are common memory techniques. They’re recommended for learning concrete nouns, although, with a little more work, could be used to remember abstract nouns as well. These techniques can be used for vocabulary, but they also have other uses, such as remembering “to-do lists” and grocery lists. (For more about memory and memory techniques, consult the resources listed below.)

Look, snap, connect

Small (2002) provides a simple three step formula for remembering things better. The first step, LOOK, requires paying attention to the word or phrase. The second step, SNAP, asks that you visualize the word and exaggerate the image. The third step, CONNECT, involves association of two words from your list that you used in the second step, visualizing them touching or interacting in some way. For example, if the first two words on the student’s list are locker, the student can use the first two steps to produce outlandish images of lockers and gorillas, then associating them, possibly visualizing a gorilla dramatically breaking out of a locker.

Memory palaces

In this technique, learners associate words with rooms in their house. Tell them to imagine 10 different places in their home, and then get them to associate 10 words with the places. For example, if the first place is their front door, and the first word they need to remember is binoculars, they can imagine a pair of binoculars hanging from the doorknob.

Number-shape system

This technique associates each number with a shape that resembles the number. Students then can use these shapes to help them remember items on a list. Here are some examples:

0 – donut
1 – candle
2 – swan
3 – butterfly
4 – sailboat
5 – hook
6 – pipe
7 – axe
8 – snowman
9 – flag

(Other shapes can be used as well. 0 could be a donut, and 1 could also be a flag.)

For example, if the first word is leopard, the student can imagine a leopard carrying a candle.

Story

Another effective memory technique is to put items together into a story. Students can think of a vivid story that includes all the words they want to remember. This works better with concrete words than with abstract words.

Review

It is beneficial to give students time to review what they’ve learned from time to time. Teachers can help students review by providing quizzes or using some of the vocabulary they’ve been learning in a few questions directed at students. Alternatively, students can write a few questions, and then test each other. Students can also organize their learning on paper, by using graphic organizers or lists.

Resources

Books

Hale-Evans, Ron. (2006). Mind performance hacks. Sebastopol, CA: O’Reilly Media.

Higbee, Kenneth L. (1996). Your memory. New York: Marlowe.

Small, Gary. (2002). The memory bible. New York: Hyperion.

Sprenger, Marilee (2007). Memory 101 for educators. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Websites

Build Your Memory: http://www.buildyourmemory.com/

Exploratorium-The Memory Exhibition:
http://www.exploratorium.edu/memory/index.html

The Creative Methodology for the Classroom course can be viewed here.
The Expert Teacher course can be viewed here.