Write lists of things you need to remember (shopping lists, birthday lists, list of what you need to take to school tomorrow). Tick the things you have done/remembered when you don’t need to remember

them any more.

Write what your teacher/mum/friend says as they are talking. If they speak too fast, just write the important words to help you remember. This takes practice. It doesn’t matter how you spell it or how neat it is, as long as you can read it.

Draw things (especially if you can’t write well). Draw a picture that will help you remember what was said e.g. if you need to remember that you are meeting your friend at the cinema at 6pm, you could draw a picture of a cinema with a 6 in it, and 2 people.

If someone is telling you lots of information and you know you won’t remember, or you can't remember all of it, you could say:

o 'Please say that again for me, I have forgotten some of it'o 'I can't remember all the information; can you tell me the key points or write it down for

me'.o 'I know you said ....... but I have forgotten the rest of it, what was it again?'o 'Please show me on a map or a picture so that I can remember it more easily'o 'I'm not very good at remembering things, can you help me?'

If a teacher gives an instruction, check that you have understood and remembered it by trying to repeat the key parts. You will be told if you haven't remembered it all.

Try to 'rehearse' what you heard, say it to yourself over and over again.

Try to 'visualise' a picture or scene of what is happening for example when planning to meet your friend at the cinema, you could picture 2 people who are looking up at a big 6 in the sky, who bump into each other right next to a cinema.

Try to think of a 'mnemonic'. A sentence or word which uses the first letters e.g. Never Eat Shredded Wheat to remember the order of North, East, South, West on a compass, or ROYGBIV to remember the colours of the rainbow.

Put a reminder on your mobile phone or keep a notebook with you at all times to write down things you need to remember.

Student Strategies – Strategies for students to use to support their understanding and memory