Field Experience Project

Memory Strategies

By Pascal Weber

Small Talk about the Human Brain

What Are Memory Strategies?

Memory Strategies at Work

What to Remember about Memory

Strategies

Memory Strategies in an ESL Classroom

Learning Process

◦ Senses (Attention) Working Memory (Rehearsal) Long-Term

Memory

Acquire, Remember, and Store vs. Forget Information

“Most memory is a fuzzy trace rather than a verbatim trace. To

remember details, children must use memory strategies.”

Small Talk about the Human Brain

Help humans to recall bits of knowledge

Memory Strategy’s 4 Components

◦ Rehearsal, Organization, Elaboration, and Mnemonics

1. Rehearsal: Repeating information in the working memory

2. Organization: Organizing material while creating hierarchies

3. Elaboration: Verbal, visual links between multiple items

4. Mnemonic: Anything that increases memorization

What Are Memory Strategies?

Setting

◦ Sixth grade ESL classroom at Bennett Middle School

in Salisbury, Maryland

Mrs. Parrott uses memory strategies

1. Rehearsal: Alphabet Song

2. Organization: Hamburger Writing

3. Elaboration: Think Aloud

4. Mnemonic: MIMAL (Acronym)

Memory Strategies at Work

“Competent teachers use rehearsal, organization,

elaboration, and mnemonics in the classroom in order

to improve students’ learning outcomes and memory”.

What to Remember about Memory Strategies

Bergin, C. C., & Bergin, D. A. (2012). Child and Adolescent Development in Your

Classroom (p. 167). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning.

Cloud, N., Genesee, F., & Hamayan, E. (2009). Literacy Instruction for English

Language Learners (p. 30). Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann.

Morrison, G. S. (2009). Teaching In America (5th ed., p. 78). Upper Saddle River,

NJ: Merrill & Pearson Education Inc.

Thorne, G. (2006, May). 10 Strategies to Enhance Students' Memory. In Center for

Development and Learning. Retrieved May 1, 2011, from

http://www.cdl.org/resource-library/articles/memory_strategies_May06.php

Bibliography