Assignment 10 Lesson 7q2

Mnemonics

What is your disposition on their usefullness, and what do they contribute to classroom learning? Contribute some mnemonics that you teach, have learned and/or have heard of.

Mnemonic:

n. A device, such as a formula or rhyme, used as an aid in remembering. The word is derived from the name of the Greek goddess of memory - Mnemosyne. The Greeks thought so much of the ability to memorize that they worshipped it in the form of a goddess. (Tipper)

 

Mnemonic strategies are systematic procedures for enhancing memory. Their particular use is in developing better ways to encode information so that it will be much easier to remember or retrieve. Research has demonstrated that the way we encode information when we first study facilitates memory. The particular task in developing mnemonic strategies is to find a way to relate new information to information students already have locked in long-term memory. If we can make a firm enough connection, the memory will last a very long time. (Mastropieri ) Mnemonics make it easier for us to learn information by making it easier to elaborate, chunk, or retrieve the information from memory. (Bruning, 82)

There are several types of mnemonics that students can use to improve their memory. 

The Peg Method: In this system, items that are to be learned are hooked by vivid mental images onto the "pegs" that have already been learned in a certain order. (Mirick)  This system has been shown to be effective with word lists (Bruning, 83) 

The Method of Loci: Perhaps the oldest mnemonic device is "METHOD OF LOCI (place)".  This method is said to have first been used around 500 B.C. by the ancient Greeks.  There are several important steps involved in using this method. First, the learner must use a well-known street, building, room or "layout" where there are as many distinctive locations as there are items in the list to be remembered.  The list of these locations is memorized in a particular order. Next the learner must make up a vivid, concrete image of each of the items in the list to be remembered. Then associate each item in some vivid, concrete way with the "mental snapshot" of these distinctive locations in their proper order. (Mirick)

Stories: In this type of mnemonic device, the words that are to be learned are put together in a story. When it is time to retrieve the information, the story is recalled and the words are extracted from the story. (Bruning, 85)

First-Letter Method: This method involves using the first letter of the to-be-learned words to construct acronyms or words. (Bruning, 85) This method is the one most  popular mnemonic used spontaneously   There are two steps involved in using this memory device.  First write down the first letter of each word after arranging the words in the order that you want to remember them.  Now choose words that start with the same letters and also seem to go together to form a memorable sentence or phrase. According to Bruning, there is no compelling evidence for teaching this method (Bruning, 86). I disagree. Research has indicated that students who have been taught strategies for creating their own mnemonics out-perform comparison students in free-study conditions. (Mastropieri)

Keyword Method: This method consists of two stages: an acoustic link and an imagery link.  The first stage identifies the keyword in the word to be learned. The second part requires the learner to imagine the keyword interacting with the learning of the vocabulary word. (Bruning, 86) This method is considered to be the most flexible and powerful

Mnemonics have a place in education. Memory for factual information is absolutely essential for success in school. According to a study by Pumam, teachers give an average of 11 tests over a nine week grading period. He found that the overwhelming majority of these questions required the student to recall a specific fact. Given that information, it is the important for teachers to teach their students not only what to remember, but how to remember it. (Mastropieri)

I was amazed at how many mnemonics I have used in my life. Below are just a few that I have used (and still do).

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally. Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, Subtraction. (As a math teacher, this is one I used and taught to my students)

Mary's Violet Eyes Make Johnny Stay Up Nights, Period. (I learned this from my brother about how to learn the order of the planets. It wasn't until today that I realized that he didn't make it up.)

King    Phillip   came    over    for     good    sex.

  i       h         l       r       a       e       p

  n       y         a       d       m       n       e

  g       l         s       e       i       u       c

  d       u         s       r       l       s       i

  o       m                         y               e

  m                                                 s

The proper ordering of the biological groupings used in taxonomy.

Spring forward, Fall back. I rely on this twice a year for remembering how to adjust my clocks for time changes.

Never Eat Soggy Waffles. To remember the cardinal directions.

I before E except after C And when saying "A" as in Neighbor or Weigh. I still use this one when spelling certain words.

My last is a song sung to the tune of Hi ho, hi ho it's off to work we go. I learned this over ten years ago, and I still sing it sometimes even though I have no use for it.

Aller, venir, entrer, sortir,

monter, descendre, arriver, 

partir, rester, retourner, 

tomber, mourir, et naitre

avec etre.

Le particpe passe s'accord avec le sujet.

References:

Websites:

Amanda's Mnemonics Page

Mastropieri, Margo A.  and Thomas E. Scruggs. Enhancing School Success with Mnemonic Strategies.

Putnam, M. L. Characteristics of questions on tests administered by mainstream secondary classroom teachers. Learning Disabilities Research and Practice, 7, 129-136.

Mind Tools.

Mirick, Susie. College of William & Mary

Tipper, Michael. The Happy Child Organization.

Book:

Bruning, Roger, Gregory Schraw, and Royce Ronning. Cognitive Psychology and Instruction.