Teaching Memorization

[momteaches2]

How do you teach a child to memorize? My 6th grader really struggles with memorization. He can narrate what I have asked him to memorize. He can say 'most' of what I ask him to memorize. But, he can't seem to do the 'word-for-word' part. And, I'm not talking about 'tough stuff'. I'm talking about Psalm 100 right now.

 

He really tries to memorize it, and he gets really down on himself when he can't 'get it'. But, he really does struggle. We don't do dictation for this reason. He can't keep it in his head long enough to recite it and then write it on paper. There were lots of tears involved in the few short months we tried dictation last year.

 

He seems to do better if I take it line by line and have him repeat after me adding a new line each time we recite it. He CANNOT do it if I ask him to read the passage and say it in the mirror (or to a sibling) for a few days and then recite it to me at the end of the week. It only works when I have him 'repeat after me'. And, once he has it memorized...it's memorized. He really does know it.

 

But, surely there is an easier way to do it. He gets really frustrated when his younger sister (1st grade) can read it to herself for a few days and then spout it back to me perfectly! He's a very bright boy who really struggles in this area. Any suggestions?

[wy_kid_wrangler04]

Two ideas that help my dd who is also in 6th. Have him write the different lines in colored pencil (different colors per line) and have him put the passage to the tune of a song (row, row, row your boat, mary had a little lamb, three blind mice) any that will work for whatever he is currently working on! It works! It works amazing! I have no clue why writing in different colors works, but seriously try it!:D

[Tracy]

I have always had a really hard time with memorization. In algebra, I would always just derive the quadratic formula, because I just couldn't memorize the thing. We are memorizing scriptures as a family, and I am always the last one to get it. Poetry is a little easier, because the rhythm and rhyme are helpful aids.

 

With scriptures, what works best for me is to divide each verse into phrases. I need to be able to see how many phrases are in that scripture, and how many words are in each phrase. So for me, Psalm 100:1 (KJV)would look like this:

 

Make a joyful noise (4)

unto the Lord, (3)

all ye lands. (3)

 

And after I am a little familiar with it, I can look at just the beginning letters:

 

MAJN

UTL,

AYL.

 

I know that this sounds really complicated to other people, but it works for me, so I thought I would throw it out there in case it works for your ds.

[cseitter]

IEW has a great memorization program to memorize poems. It comes with audio cds or without. But it teaches you how to teach to memorize.

 

HTH

[SilverMoon]

We use and enjoy Simply Charlotte Mason's memory box system. Each kid has their own box.

Edited May 15, 2010 by SilverMoon

[abbeyej]

It sounds like you know what works. I'd stick to that.

 

Set him up with a tape-recorder, or a mic on the computer, and have him read the selection aloud, pausing long enough between each line for a repeat. Then he can listen with headphones and repeat the lines back to himself.

 

Later, have him recorder two lines at a time, then four.

 

As for not doing dictation because he struggles, I'd say that's precisely why he *should* be doing it! Start with short sentences. Have him repeat the sentence back to you right after you say it. If he needs to go phrase-by-phrase, do that, until he can repeat the whole thing back to you.

 

Perhaps set aside five minutes a day when you can work with him, reading and having him repeat the selection to be memorized. Then another 15 minutes a day for him to work with his recording, repeating after.

 

The more he memorizes, the easier it will come.

 

But there's not much use in approaching this from directions that you know don't work. Having him read to himself is unlikely to do much. (Is he reading aloud? I suspect for him that it *must* be aloud in order for him to have any specific recall for the words.)

 

I'd also invest in CDs when possible. The IEW poetry program, "Poetry Speaks to Children" and "Poetry Speaks". Readings of Psalms and other scripture you want him to learn. Buy or make your own.

 

Encourage him to focus on dramatic readings, where he conveys the meaning of each word in his voice.

[FlutterbyMommy]

We sing, sing, sing! My child is younger, but has learned a great deal of memorization and most is through song. We can sing them in the car or while doing work around the house and outside. For history, we use cards and hand motions as well.

 

I have used Power Points with words and pictures and added my voice or the song track as well.

[Caribbean Queen]

I read the passage aloud at least once a day. After a while I leave out a few words.

 

"The Lord is my _____

I shall not ______"

 

Over the course of days I leave out more and more words. After a while all I say is, "The Lord" and the children say the rest.

 

It's painless and it works.

[Maureen]

I have my kids memorize a scripture passage each week. I write the first letter of each word on the board and have them read it from there for a few days and then practice without looking. It seems to work really well, especially to remember to fit in all of the little words.

[Violet Crown]

Great replies. We also find the approach of leaving out the last word, then last words, etc. of each line, verse, or phrase to be a useful approach to memorization.

 

I find it important, too, to make use of memorized material in daily life. Poetry memorization is important to our family, and we have a rhyme or poem for everything: a child who says "I don't care" gets to hear everyone else recite spontaneously "Don't-Care didn't care/ Don't-Care was wild..."; we recite "The gallant Welsh of all degrees..." when I serve welsh rabbit; etc. The oldest will offer a few verses of relevant Shakespeare from time to time, in the hearing of her little sisters. Bible verses and psalms are of course appropriate at various times. (I like, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." My oldest prefers "Provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.")

 

When what you have memorized becomes part of the fabric of going about the day, and not just something that's being memorized because the lesson says to memorize it--and most importantly the child grasps that, for parents and older children, memorized material is part of a grownup's expressive vocabulary--"learning by heart" becomes a normal and joyful thing.

[Tracy]

Great replies. We also find the approach of leaving out the last word, then last words, etc. of each line, verse, or phrase to be a useful approach to memorization.

 

I find it important, too, to make use of memorized material in daily life. Poetry memorization is important to our family, and we have a rhyme or poem for everything: a child who says "I don't care" gets to hear everyone else recite spontaneously "Don't-Care didn't care/ Don't-Care was wild..."; we recite "The gallant Welsh of all degrees..." when I serve welsh rabbit; etc. The oldest will offer a few verses of relevant Shakespeare from time to time, in the hearing of her little sisters. Bible verses and psalms are of course appropriate at various times. (I like, "Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity." My oldest prefers "Provoke not your children to anger, lest they be discouraged.")

 

When what you have memorized becomes part of the fabric of going about the day, and not just something that's being memorized because the lesson says to memorize it--and most importantly the child grasps that, for parents and older children, memorized material is part of a grownup's expressive vocabulary--"learning by heart" becomes a normal and joyful thing.

:iagree: Thank you, Sharon! This is so important yet so easy to overlook.