Memory & ConcentrationMemory & Concentration

A Study Skills Series presented A Study Skills Series presented by General Studiesby General Studies

3 important memory processes3 important memory processes

1)1) EncodingEncoding

2)2) StorageStorage

3)3) RetrievalRetrieval

Types of MemoryTypes of Memory

Sensory MemorySensory Memory

Short-Term MemoryShort-Term Memory Immediate MemoryImmediate Memory Working MemoryWorking Memory

Long-Term MemoryLong-Term Memory

General Memory StrategiesGeneral Memory Strategies

Spaced PracticeSpaced Practice

Break Tasks DownBreak Tasks Down

Repetition Repetition

Specific Memory Strategies

Rehearsal Strategies

Elaboration

Strategies

Affective & Motivational Strategies

Comprehension Monitoring Strategies

Organizational Strategies

Rehearsal StrategiesRehearsal Strategies

Repeat the information until it is learnedRepeat the information until it is learned

Have to make the repetition of the Have to make the repetition of the information meaningfulinformation meaningful

Elaboration StrategiesElaboration Strategies

Acronyms/CatchwordsAcronyms/Catchwords NBA, TMI, KIT, TSUNBA, TMI, KIT, TSU

Acrostics/CatchphrasesAcrostics/Catchphrases Please Excuse My Dear Please Excuse My Dear

Aunt SallyAunt Sally

ImageryImagery

Rhymes & SongsRhymes & Songs

Involves expanding on the info, forming associations, or connecting the information to what you already know

Organizational StrategiesOrganizational Strategies

Allow you to organize the information to Allow you to organize the information to make it easier to learn and recallmake it easier to learn and recall

Organize material by groupingOrganize material by grouping

Comprehension Monitoring Comprehension Monitoring StrategiesStrategies

Allows us to monitor or keep tabs on our Allows us to monitor or keep tabs on our learninglearning

Help you examine and evaluate the Help you examine and evaluate the strategies that you are usingstrategies that you are using

MetacognitionMetacognition Task awarenessTask awareness Strategy awarenessStrategy awareness Performance awarenessPerformance awareness

Affective & Motivational StrategiesAffective & Motivational Strategies

Relate to your attitude, interest, and Relate to your attitude, interest, and motivation toward learningmotivation toward learning

Help prepare you mentally for studying Help prepare you mentally for studying and create a positive learning environmentand create a positive learning environment

What is Concentration?What is Concentration?

Concentration enables a person to Concentration enables a person to FOCUS their attention on what they are FOCUS their attention on what they are doingdoing

It is very important in just about everything It is very important in just about everything you doyou do

3 Levels of Concentration:3 Levels of Concentration:

1.1. Light ConcentrationLight Concentration

2.2. Moderate ConcentrationModerate Concentration

3.3. Deep ConcentrationDeep Concentration

Light ConcentrationLight Concentration

Is experienced when you Is experienced when you first sit down to study and first sit down to study and continues throughout the continues throughout the first 5 minutes of studyfirst 5 minutes of study

You’re just getting settled You’re just getting settled into your reading, into your reading, listening, or studyinglistening, or studying

In this level students may In this level students may be easily distractedbe easily distracted

Students may: wiggle Students may: wiggle around in their chairs, feel around in their chairs, feel the need to pull out other the need to pull out other study supplies, etc.study supplies, etc.

Not much is Not much is accomplished during this accomplished during this stagestage

Very little learning Very little learning actually occursactually occurs

Moderate ConcentrationModerate Concentration

Students enter this Students enter this level after about 5 level after about 5 minutes of studyingminutes of studying

Student begins Student begins paying attention to paying attention to material that is being material that is being read, heard, or read, heard, or studiedstudied

Student is not as Student is not as easily distractedeasily distracted

Begin to focus only on Begin to focus only on the material and the material and external distractions external distractions are ignoredare ignored

Some learning occurs Some learning occurs in this stagein this stage

Deep ConcentrationDeep Concentration

You begin thinking only You begin thinking only about what you are about what you are hearing, writing, or hearing, writing, or readingreading

You are totally consumed You are totally consumed in materialin material

You learn the most You learn the most material while in deep material while in deep concentrationconcentration

You are able to complete You are able to complete more work in less time more work in less time and are working most and are working most effectively effectively

3 Types of Concentration:3 Types of Concentration:

1.1. Ability to Focus at WillAbility to Focus at Will – being able to – being able to turn your attention to the task of listening turn your attention to the task of listening to a lecture the moment the professor to a lecture the moment the professor begins to speakbegins to speak

2.2. Sustaining Your FocusSustaining Your Focus – maintaining – maintaining concentrationconcentration

3.3. Limiting Your FocusLimiting Your Focus – Concentrating on – Concentrating on one task at a timeone task at a time

Causes of Poor Concentration:Causes of Poor Concentration: Lack of Attention – can Lack of Attention – can

be a result of distractionsbe a result of distractions

Internal Distractions – Internal Distractions – things that students worry things that students worry and think aboutand think about

External Distractions- External Distractions- includes noise, an includes noise, an uncomfortable study uncomfortable study area, and peoplearea, and people

Lack of Interest – Without Lack of Interest – Without a high level of interest it is a high level of interest it is very easy to lose very easy to lose concentrationconcentration

Lack of Motivation – In Lack of Motivation – In order to improve order to improve concentration, you must concentration, you must be motivated to succeedbe motivated to succeed

Strategies for Improving Strategies for Improving ConcentrationConcentration

1.Use Motivational and Organizational 1.Use Motivational and Organizational Strategies: Strategies: A. Have a positive attitude toward your A. Have a positive attitude toward your workworkB. Create Interest in the TaskB. Create Interest in the TaskC. Use Goal-Setting Strategies – set clear C. Use Goal-Setting Strategies – set clear

goalsgoalsD. Use Time-Management Strategies – D. Use Time-Management Strategies – “To Do” lists and planning calendars“To Do” lists and planning calendars

Strategies ContinuedStrategies Continued

2. Create a Positive Learning Environment – 2. Create a Positive Learning Environment –

A. Minimize external distractions as much A. Minimize external distractions as much as possible as possible

B. Move to front of classroom during B. Move to front of classroom during lectures lectures

C. At home find a place to study that is C. At home find a place to study that is distraction-freedistraction-free

Strategies ContinuedStrategies Continued

3. Deal with Internal Distractions 3. Deal with Internal Distractions

4. Use Active Learning Strategies4. Use Active Learning Strategies

5. Match Your Learning Style to the Task – 5. Match Your Learning Style to the Task – find out what works best for youfind out what works best for you

6. Monitor Your Concentration6. Monitor Your Concentration

Benefits of Improved Benefits of Improved Concentration:Concentration:

Ability to make better use Ability to make better use of your timeof your time

Ability to gain a better Ability to gain a better understanding of what understanding of what you have readyou have read

Improved concentration Improved concentration during lecture leads to during lecture leads to better lecture notesbetter lecture notes

Increased self-confidence Increased self-confidence and higher self-esteemand higher self-esteem

Ability to make Ability to make connections between connections between knew and old materialknew and old material

Ability to prepare better Ability to prepare better for quizzes and examsfor quizzes and exams