CultusWhenever you want to begin studying or learn something new, it is good to know that there is a way to improve the way of understanding and memorizing the things that you are about to learn. Here are some useful tips for teacher and educators in general, when transferring the knowledge to their pupils or students, no matter of their age.
1. Make it clear
The most significant factor is enabling comprehension of the material, making it look and sound understandable. After this, determine the challenges and the strong points in ones memory, in order to make them understand the educational material.
2. Various educational instructions.
If the instructions on learning materials are in visual and verbal formats, the students will benefit from it. Checking of the learned curriculum by repeating and explaining is beneficial. Giving examples of what needs to be done are helpful in enhancing memory directions.
3. Repetition of the learned.
“Repetitio est mater studiorum”. Repetition is the mother of learning. The learned materials should be repeated in order to be better remembered
4. Visualization
Many people remember better if they see a photograph or a video of a certain word, topic or lecture. Use these tools to enhance the memory of the material, which needs to be studied. Matters that are not commonly used in everyday life, are better learned if visually presented.
5. Handouts
Verbal presentation can be exhausting and tiring, no matter of the topic. The lecturer should prepare a hand out before the class begins. Online class can begin with the prepared presentation in a Power Point or Word format.
Lectures and directions given at the classes should be reinforced by teacher-prepared handouts.
The handouts could consist of brief outline of the materials that will be thought that day or a graphic organizer that students can complete during the lecture.
This enables students’ identifying salient information given during the lectures and correctly organizing information in their notes. These activities enhance memory of the information.
6. Active readers
Short-term memory registration and working memory when reading, are strengthened when students underline, highlight, or jot key words. Reading the underlined, highlighted, or written in the margins can be repeated quicker. Consolidation of this information in long-term memory, is done by outlining or using graphic organizers. The use of graphic organizers increases the learning achievement.
7. Write down the learning steps
Students with weaker working memory should not rely on mental computations when solving math or word problems. Therefore, write down all steps in resolving the math equasion, exercise, word sentence analysis, paragraph comprehension – into logical components.
8. Retrieval practice for students
Long-term memory is enhanced when students retrieve. Test is a retrieval practice, i.e., recalling information that is studied from long-term memory. Practice tests are very helpful in this activity.
Ask the students questions or have them make up questions for everyone to answer, is better than just retelling students the next lecture. If students are required to make up their own tests and take them, this will give their parents and/or teachers feedback about whether they know the most important information or are they focused on details that are less important.
9. Develop cues when learning
Memory research shows that it is easier to retrieve information when it is stored by using a cue. That cue should be present at the time information is being retrieved. To make it simple, the acronym is a cue used when information is learned and recalled. For example, the acronym OLAT = Online Learning And Training.
10. Prepare you memory prior teaching and learning activities
Cues that prime students for the task to be learned are helpful.
For instance, in reading comprehension students get an idea of what is expected by discussing the vocabulary and overall topic. This allows them to focus on the relevant information and engage in more effective processing.
11. Post-it
The use of Post-it for scrawling down information, helps the students remember better the most important issues.
12. Make use of the already learned
To strengthen the learning of the new information at the distance learning class or and online course, teachers need to stimulate the pupils prior knowledge. In this manner they will make the new information meaningful to them. Asking the simple questions: -What do you know? -What would you like to learn? Is one of the easiest ways in accomplishing this task.
13. Less time restrictions in examination
When students have difficulty recalling information from memory, they should be given extended time for taking tests, in order to have clear picture of what they know. Be cautious not to exceed the time more that 15-30 minutes after the pre-designed time for a certain exercise. If this happens, and there are no results provided by the student, then it will be a waste of time, both for the teacher and for the student. Apparently the student will need to improve the skills, and take a new examination test.
14. Multi-sensory methods
Learners that experience multiple senses are much more likely to remember better. The Multi-sensory approach, which involves engaging as many senses as possible when teaching: seeing, touching, hearing, smelling, and tasting, benefits the students. All these can be easily accomplished through online classes.
15. Go through the material before going to bed
It is helpful for students to review material before going to sleep at night. Researches showed that information studied this way is better remembered. Any other task that is performed after reviewing and prior to going to sleep (getting a snack, listening to music, combing your hair) interferes with consolidation of the information in the students’ memory. Make use of the recorded lectures of the online classes or visual presentations with sound.
More about better results in learning at:
Improve Memory Power | Ways to Improve Memory | Improve Brain Memory
