Mnemonics for Young and Adult Learners

The brain is a fascinating organ. It prefers to retain complex information associated with visuals, sound, and emotions, while plain text information can be easily forgotten. Interestingly, in education, 70% of factual content is in text, and the brain needs some techniques to recall and reorganize information. These techniques and strategies are called mnemonic devices or simply – mnemonics.

What Are Mnemonic Devices?

The history of Mnemonics can be traced to the Greek goddess Mnemosyne, who is the goddess of memory in Greek mythology. Mnemonic devices or mnemonics are learning techniques or strategies that help learners of all ages retain or retrieve information. They are a handy and effective way to transfer information from the Short-Term-Memory to the Long-Term-Memory.

Short-Term-Memory (STM) The STM is the passageway of the brain and is used to process information for immediate use.

Long-Term-Memory (LTM) The LTM is the Library of the brain, and it is where information is stored and retrieved.

Reading or storing information in the brain does not guarantee you’ll be able to retrieve it when needed, like searching for your favorite book in a library when someone has mistakenly put it on the wrong shelf -it’s still there, but you just can find it). Mnemonics can work like a librarian, helping to reference books, arrange books, and retrieve books from the library, especially when needed.

Types of Mnemonics

The beautiful thing about mnemonics is that they exist in a variety of forms and can be utilized in different ways that will suit the learner. They include:

Chunking

This is the process of breaking down large and complex information into smaller bits, sort of like eating food from a plate with a spoon. Thereby, breaking down the food into digestible bits. For example, a phone number may be easier to process, and remember when written in three digits like 247 - 236 - 891 rather than one flowing unit like 247236891.

Association

It is easier to learn and understand new information when it is connected to already-learned knowledge. For example, a student with a learning disability was taught to relate Florida to flowers and its capital Tallahassee to television. And, that has stuck with her, even in a quiz years after, she still makes use of the same connections.

Rhymes and Songs

Rhythms and songs make learning fun. And, makes it even easier to recall., I still remember the number of days in the months of the year with a song, and I find myself spontaneously singing this song in my head when I have to make a quick calculation of the days in the month without the need for a calendar.

Acronyms

This uses letters to form a keyword to recall or simplify complex names. Acronyms are so effective that we become more connected with the acronym than the entire name. For example, companies like IBM and NASA are more associated with their acronyms.

Acrostics

This is when you make a sentence out of the first letter of each word in a concept trying to be memorized. There are no hard and fast rules here, but can be used anyway by the learner as long as it helps the information stick, It’s even more interesting when learners create their sentences. An example is Vera’s Educated Mother Just Served Us Nachos for the names of the planets Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus (Fun fact: Pluto is no longer considered a planet in our solar system).

Repetition

Repetition is also an effective way to get information to your long-term memory. That’s why taking notes is an effective way to learn because it enables you to repeat vital information in your own simplified words.

Challenges in Applying Mnemonics

While Mnemonics can be helpful in learning, the following are some of the challenges that can be encountered in successfully applying mnemonics in our study.

1. Adding another layer of complexity to learning: Learning alone can be cumbersome, and the use of mnemonics can add another layer of activities to the process, taking more time and energy.
2. Mnemonics are personalized: There is no cookie-cutter approach to the use of mnemonics because what might work for one child might not for another and this can pose a difficulty for educators.
3. Mnemonics can confuse learning: Confusion is a legit problem in learning whereby learners face contradictions, and anomalies while learning and this can be heightened by the use of Mnemonics.

Despite these challenges, the use of mnemonics remains the most effective way to aid the brain in learning and retaining information. Mnemonics also transforms the learning process from passive participation to active learning. Whereby the learner is creatively thinking out ways to improve the learning process.

At Tutor Doctor provide a personalized learning approach that can help our children develop mnemonics to support their learning.

Kimberly Selchan, Resilient One, and Tutor Doctor Owner

My mission: “To help today's youth become tomorrow's successful adults.”

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