10 Memory Tricks Adapted from an article by Sylvan Learning Center
Use memory techniques to remember lists and simple grammatical rules. Below are ten memory tips that will help you.
The alphabet system. Associate images which are represented by the letters of the alphabet. This is a great method for remembering long lists of items in a specific order. For example, "A is for apple, B is for boy."
The link/story method. Invent bizarre or funny stories to link items to remember. For instance, to learn primary colors, develop a story such as: "The yellow bird grabbed its red parachute and flew into the blue sky."
Acronyms. Make a word out of the first letters of the item to be recalled. For instance, the letters that spell HOMES represent each of the Great Lakes: Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.
The journey system. This system uses landmarks on a journey. To remember the first four presidents of the United States, take this journey: On our way to Washington, we saw our friend Adam, who wanted to go to Jeff's house to play a new video game called Mad (Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Madison).
Movement learning. Songs that include movement help one remember the song's vocabulary. "Heads, shoulders, knees, and toes" is very effective.
Excitement and sound. When reading a book aloud, add inflection and excitement to the story; this will help you remember it. "Fee, fi, fo, fum," boomed the giant in "Jack and the Beanstalk." The emotion of the story through the words that you act will increase interest which will help one retain more of the information.
Rhyme and rhythm. This is an effective tool for remembering dates or simple grammatical rules. Example: "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue." Or: "I before e, except after c."
The number/shape mnemonic. With this system, you build imaginary pictures and use numbers to represent the shape of the object. The number seven could be a boomerang, for instance.
Color code. The use of color is linked strongly to memory. If you need to remember the original 13 colonies, color-code a United States map. If you need to remember the masculine or feminine articles before a word, write masculine words in one color and feminine words in another color
Acrostics. In a poem that is an acrostic, the first or last letter of each line combine to spell out a word or phrase. Here's an example:
Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Earth needs us to do our best to keep things clean. Caring for the planet is everyone's job. You can do your part to save the environment. Collect metal, paper, and plastic for recycling. Litter free is how it has to be. Everybody should work together to keep the planet clean.
