Memory Strategies

How to Learn Spanish

Intend to Remember

Attitude has much to do with whether you remember something or not

Say to yourself, “I am going to remember everything I hear in class today.”

Focus on the teacher

Get involved, participate, engage

Selectivity

Determine the most important and select those parts to studyTake notes from the text bookWriting things down condenses the amount of material you have to study Writing things down often helps you recall the things that you want to remember

Recitation

Saying ideas aloud is probably the most powerful tool you have to transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory

This is why working in a study group is extremely helpful

Recitation Ideas

Read your notes aloudParaphrase as you readTeach each otherRecord your voiceCall a friendGet into a study group

Basic Background

Your understanding of new material depends a great deal on how much you already knowThe more you increase basic knowledge, the easier it is to build new knowledge on this backgroundLearning today, makes it easier to learn a lot tomorrow

Repetition

For Spanish, repetition and drill is necessary

If you are going to be able to speak Spanish, you need to practice doing it

Memorization is necessary

Flashcards

Vocabulary notes

Application

Apply what you learn to your own lifeMake it real by using Spanish with family and friendsGo to a Mexican restaurant and try to speak Spanish with the serverFind a Spanish-speaking neighbor, friend, parent of a friend and try to speak Spanish with them

Mnemonic Devices

Mnemonic devices are used for remembering information that is to be memorized

As a general rule any type of mnemonic device must be simple, clear and vivid.

We tend to remember the unusual, the funny or the personal

Five Mnenomic Devices

Grouping

Rhymes / Songs

Acronyms

Visual Association

Loci

Grouping

Classify lists on the basis of some common characteristic. Remember the key element of the group.

Example: Some verbs in Spanish are I GO VERBS. In the I form of the verb, the Spanish verb ends in –go.

tengo – I have salgo – I go out

hago – I do or make traigo – I bring

Rhymes and Songs

Set what you need to remember to a common rhyme or song

Example: The vowel song and the army drill / march chant

Acronyms

Use acronyms to help you remember lists. The first letter from each word in a list forms a key word, name or sentence.

Example: Gender – masculine/feminine

masculine = ma n r o l n o r ma l feminine = d umbre cion a

Visual Association

Association involves linking two ideas. When you are memorizing lists of words you can link words by using images.

The PEG system allows you to remember sequences of ten unrelated items in the appropriate order. It requires you to remember 10 “peg words”

PEG System

If you have ten word that you need to remember, you visualize each word interacting with the “peg word” that you already know.Think of 10 “peg words”Memorize the 10 “peg words”Now visualize the Spanish word/object interacting with your “peg word.”

The PEG System

1 = bun perro 6 = sticks lapiz

2 = shoe calle 7 = lake cuaderno

3 = tree boligrafo 8 = gate libro

4 = door feo 9 = vine uvas

5 = hive libro 10 = hen papel

Loci

Greek and Roman orators who had to remember long speeches used the method of “loci” to trigger their memories

Visualize a room or route that is familiar to you.

Place each item that you wish to remember in a location in the room or along the route

“Pick it up” as you take a mental walk

Mnemonic devices increase your ability to

recall information. They should be abandoned as

soon as you know the material so well that you

do not need them.

Notetaking

Preview

Writing

The 5 R’s

Preview

Good note taking begins BEFORE you ever go to classBefore coming to class you need to preview the material that will be coveredThis includes previewing the chapter in the book that we are studying and reading over previous class notesFormulate questions about the new material before you come to class

Writing

Copy down everything on the boardBlackboard “scribble” may be a clue to an exam itemUse the Cornel method for taking notes (two columns)Number and title all of your notes, include the date Write only on one side of the paper

Record, Reduce, Recite, (w)Rite, Review

Record main pointsLabel notes in the left-hand margin to help organize your notesUsing only labels attempt to recite information from notesWrite new vocabulary many times until you know itReview the recite step every few weeks

Test Taking

Find out what will be covered

Review before the test: daily reviews, weekly reviews and major reviews

Predict test questions

Develop a study plan

Avoid procrastination

Reduce anxiety by being prepared

Test-taking strategiesArrive earlyListen carefully to all instructionsAvoid friends and panic-stricken peopleLook over the entire exam, paying particular attention to point valuesRead all directionsDo the easy questions first (this builds confidence)Use the entire time, look over your answers before handing in the exam