Tuesday's Tip for Language Learning #9: Work Your Memory
From Think Yourself into Becoming a Language Learning Super Star
WORK YOUR MEMORY
Just having a memory is not enough for good langauge learning. One just use it. Here are some ways in which you can use your memory.
Make rote memory
your back-up, not your primary approach
Learning "by heart" ids the least effective means of remembering anything. Yes, there are tools, such as flash cards. Yes, this is among the most popular approachces of traditional textbooks. And yes, relying on rote memory can set learners up for overload and failure. As a back-up, yes, it can provide a sense of support and be there when you need automatic and even unthinking recall, but as s business-as-usual approach to language learning, rote memory is not the business you want. Associate memory works better, and binnding works best. Take a look --
Rote memory
Rote memory is what you
learn without a whole lot of meaning attached. Just repetition. Of course,
repetition is one of the ways to get information into short-term memory, but
there may be much better ways to get it from short-term to long-term memory.
Remember the poems and songs you memorized in school as a child. Maybe you did
not know ir even understand every word, but you were able to recite the poem or sing the song
because you had practiced it so much. That is rote memory.
When you learn something by heart, within a specific context, without understanding the meaning attached to what you have learned, you can only use it in one situation. It does not become something that is really part of your language tool chest, so to speak.
Rote memory is not an efficient way to learn although it can be effective. (One important note: rote memory skills begin to decline after the age of 15.)
Associative memory
Associative memory forms the basis of most learning strategies. Associative memory is a matter of comparing (associating) new information with known information. That way, it gets attached to what you already know and is easier to store because there is something in the storage area for it to hang onto.
Binding
Binding occurs when something is recognized on the basis of being partially known earlier or just absolutely makes sense. In both instances, very likely associative memory is at play, but there is an emotional element involved.
Use memory
strategies
Memory strategies help
you store and recall words, phrases, and knowledge of grammar without lots of
repetition, enabling you to use these elements of language sooner and more
fluidly. There are many kinds of strategies. Here are a few:
·
Organize your study
·
Focus your attention
·
Pace yourself
·
Compare (associate)
·
Make connections (use mnemonics)
·
Use roots
·
Structure
·
Elaborate and rehearse
·
Visualize concepts
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