Memorize This.

A brief overview

    I am in no way an expert on memory, but I have been told and have seen, especially after taking drama this past semester at school, that I have built on a strong aptitude for memorization. Now, memorization is a very broad topic. Necessarily, it applies to theater and poetry, but I think the skill of memorization manifests itself in other areas of education as
well. This is not meant to give all the answers but is simply some tips, tricks, and methods to think about if you want to try a new approach to memorization as it appears in education.

Play to your strengths (Recitation)

    Memorizing a monologue, a poem, or lines for a play is a daunting task to be sure, but if you can find the right method, it can get easier. According to educational literature, there are three main learning styles or preferences: visual learners, auditory learners, and kinesthetic learners. For visual learners, some tips might be to read the text several times, but also to watch the play or poem performed by a reputable person or group. I myself am a primarily auditory learner and to memorize, I record myself reciting the passage and then I listen to it on loop while I do my chores or go for a walk. Finally, for kinesthetic learners, it might be helpful to first prepare what motions you plan to do when you recite (for a stage play, this is called "blocking") and practice the words along with the actions. Once you find a method that seems to work well, stick with it! 

Think about it (Spelling)

    The English language is weird. Just look at the word "weird" and that rule we all know, "I before E except after C or when sounds like A as in neighbor or weigh." I hate to break it to you, but W is not C and weird does not have an A sound. There are certain things in spelling that you just have to remember, but a lot of things you can just sound out instead. I don't need to remember how to spell "dog" if I remember what letters make those sounds. As I started learning Greek this past year (Greek has a different alphabet), I once again had to learn how to spell. Knowing what letters sound like and thinking words through will definitely give you a head start, but for those strange exceptions, just know that the more you use it correctly, the easier it will be to remember how to spell it. Here are some more specific tips if you want to take a look. So, keep a journal, read books, and if you really want to remember how to spell "weird," write a story about an alien species and describe everything that is weird about them (then send it to me!). 

Do it again (Mathematics)

    Think about the nearest grocery store to your house (or the one you most regularly go to). For drivers and non-drivers alike, I'm fairly certain that if dropped off at that grocery store, you would be able to get home. You have traveled there and back so many times that driving, walking or biking there is almost second nature. There are certain things that we have to memorize that are best done through repetition. Both examples above require a degree of repetition, but the most clear example of this type of memorizing is mathematics, specifically arithmetic. Times tables, addition, subtraction, and division are all second nature by the time we are taking derivatives in calculus because we have used those skills so many times. It takes repetition and practice, but then they are very second nature, just like commuting to the grocery store. 

The idea for this blog was submitted by one of the readers. Thank you! 

Check out my YouTube channel (videos under the "playlists" tab)! Just this Tuesday, I posted my One Minute Covers of Fast Car and We Are Going To Be Friends.