Maximize Effectiveness of Study Time with Memory Training & Tricks, Part 3

Posted on 11/10/2015

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As an extension of the concepts we discussed in Part 2, we’re going to look at a few practical ways to incorporate movement and pleasure into the study process. Hopefully your child’s teacher already does this with the initial learning process, but either way, you can help your child learn for the long term by thinking outside the books with these study methods.

Flash Card Games

I know flash cards can get a bad rap, but bear with me, here. We’re not just talking about a boring flip through a deck of flash cards. You can use a table, floor, or another surface to spread them out and use them for a more kinesthetic approach. Let’s say you’re working on math facts. (Whether it’s addition, multiplication, square roots, or whatever.) You can shout out an answer, and have your child compete with another child or adult to jump on, grab, or dance on a problem you just solved. Or you could group them into piles of those that equal various numbers. If you do need to go back and do the traditional flash card work first, you can compete with your child by trying to see who can get the biggest pile (you get to keep the ones your child doesn’t know).

Copy-Cat Games

Think of ways to alter other board games you already have or play. For instance, you could make a world map out of an old bed sheet and play a form of Twister, with a right hand on Canada and left foot on Spain. Or host a study session where the kids play a version of Pictionary about their anatomy chapter. You could make each question-and-answer for review of any facts into two cards, maybe color coded, and use them in a Memory card game, trying to remember where the matches are.

mother and daughters baking in the kitchen

Dance Party

I love what these girls did with their history timeline song (view YouTube video), making up movements that actually look like dance moves! You can tell they had fun coming up with the moves — and performing them! If you have a kid who likes to create dance routines or choreography, the thrill of creating can add an extra dopamine factor to the movement for a great chance at remembering whatever facts at hand. Visual art can be the same way, especially if your child enjoys creating in that way. The major factor is whatever is fun. Your child can learn to chant the multiplication tables while jumping rope or define the parts of speech while shooting hoops.

One key with any mnemonics is not to overuse any one type. You may even want to reserve a method for a particular subject; for instance, you make up songs for lists of history facts but sentences for science and movements for grammar concepts. Whatever you do, the extra effort and energy you and your child put in are sure to pay dividends on test day — and beyond!

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