Memory SkillsHow to effectively remember

information

Two levels of Memory

Short-Term: What you can keep in your attention in the moment. Most people can only remember five to nine different things in their short-term memory.

Long-Term: What you know and can bring to mind whenever you choose to do so.

“Moving Information”

You can ‘move’ information from your short-term memory into your long term by doing the following:› Grouping Information – to organize it so

that details are brought together under the main idea or category that connects them. For example: Studying geography you could

group things by province.

“Moving Information” Con’t

› Visualizing Information – to see an image or picture of it in your mind’s eye. For example: you can see a mental picture of

an idea or event.› Repeating Information – to put information

in your own words and go over it. For example: say it aloud to yourself or

someone else.

“Moving Information” Con’t

› Choosing to remember – paying attention when learning and making an effort to remember what is important. For example: using all of the above to learn,

when learning something like a name of a person repeating it over and over again.

MNEMONICS

Mnemonics is a fancy word that means “the art of remembering”.

Mnemonic strategies are ways of remembering more efficiently.

MNEMONICS

The following are different mnemonic strategies:› Word Links – Use the meaning of one word

to associate with another. For example: The capitol of Oregon is Salem

(Think – there are many sailboats in Oregon because it’s on the ocean. What do you do with these boats? Sail-em!)

MNEMONICS

› Acronyms – Using the first letter of each word to make another shorter word to remember. For example, the five great lakes could be:

H – Huron O – Ontario M – Michigan E – Erie S – Superior= HOMES

MNEMONICS

› Acrostics – Make up a new sentence using the first letter of each word. For example, The music staff – EGBDF could

be Every Good Boy Does Fine.

MNEMONICS

› Rhymes – creating little rhymes to remember things. For example, “Mary had a little lamb…” or

“In 1492 Columbus sailed the ocean blue…”

Other MNEMONIC Strategies› Mental Pictures› Create an Experience› Hook-ups› Write It!› Talk it!› Mind Map

A funny…..

How many can you remember?

Activity

Do the activities on your worksheet.