Trouble memorizing *references* of Bible verses

[Tranquility7]

We do a lot of memory work, and DS generally is a strong memorizer. By the time he turned 6, he knew over 200 Bible verses, including larger passages of Scripture, like Exodus 20:1-17, Psalm 23, Psalm 100, Psalm 121, Matthew 5:1-12, Ephesians 1, etc... We don't have any trouble with those.

 

The problem occurs when we are trying to memorize verses that are just one verse at a time, where I'm not teaching him a big passage. For instance, he knows about 15 Proverbs - he knows the verse itself cold, but makes so many errors on references. How can he remember 10:12 vs 10:4, or 13:1 vs 15:3, or 16:32 vs 17:22? They are just so easy to confuse, and there isn't really anything about the verse itself that would cue what the reference is.

 

I've tried to do it topically - and frankly that really would be the BEST cue, I think, since the time you most want to remember a verse is when you NEED it! But then the problem is that so many verses have multiple words that could be its topic (some of which would totally give away the verse!), and many verses are based on the same topic, so how would I prompt him to give me the exact verse I'm asking for?

For example, what would be the topic for Matthew 5:16 - "Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven"? Any topic I think of could also be the topic of other verses we know (light? good works? glorifying God?), but if I make it too specific, ("letting your light shine") then obviously I've given away too much.

 

So, how do you do it, when you have your child learn a LOT of different verses?

[Tranquility7]

Well, I would question the necessity of knowing the full reference. Isn't the chapter number enough? Knowing that much would allow him to find the verse if he wanted to.

Hmmm, I could be convinced of this. But how do I prompt for the verse when we are reviewing then?

[AK_Mom4]

Have him memorize reference, THEN verse. So for your example, he would learn it exactly this way: "Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven". That way the reference is the primary key for the verse when they do recall.

 

I hope that makes sense.... lots of times kids are taught to memorize verse, then reference and that makes the memory work more difficult. This way, when you say Matthew 5:16, his brain automaticallys fills in "Let your light shine" as the next few words...

[Tranquility7]

Have him memorize reference, THEN verse. So for your example, he would learn it exactly this way: "Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven". That way the reference is the primary key for the verse when they do recall.

 

I hope that makes sense.... lots of times kids are taught to memorize verse, then reference and that makes the memory work more difficult. This way, when you say Matthew 5:16, his brain automaticallys fills in "Let your light shine" as the next few words...

 

Good idea, but we already do it that way (actually, I have him say Reference-Verse-Reference).

[Kuovonne]

You could prompt him with the first few words of the verse. Then let him complete the verse.

 

You could prompt him with a topic or situation and ask him what verse would apply, and then accept *any* verse or verses that fit.

 

You could make flashcards with the reference or topic and the first letter of each word in the verse as the prompt. For example:

 

***

Matthew 5:16 L-- y--- l---- s---- b----- o----- t--- t--- m-- s-- y--- g--- w---- a-- g--- g---- t- y--- f----- w-- i- i- h-----.

***

 

You could make multiple flashcards for each verse with each flashcard leaving out different phrases so that if he can answer all of the flashcards, he must know the entire verse. For example:

 

***

Matthew 5:16 [...] that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven."

 

Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others [...] and give glory to your father who is in heaven."

 

Matthew 5:16 Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works [...]."

***

 

Or you could review by having him read the verses in a spaced repetition system described in various memory work systems.

 

Or you could do a combination of the methods.

[vonfirmath]

Good idea, but we already do it that way (actually, I have him say Reference-Verse-Reference).

 

 

That's how we learn too and it has NOT aided me in learning references :(

 

I find it easier to learn verses (and where they are found) when I am learning a "chunk" of Bible rather than random disparate verses. My son is K in AWANAs and I have found that I am not as picky on the reference part as knowing the verse. Ideally, he'll know the book and chapter but given that, finding the exact verse should be pretty easy (easier as he gets more fluent at reading). And he always seems to be able to remember the reference when it comes to chunks -- like John 3:14-16

[Candid]

My experience is that a lot of adults have this problem, so I don't think it is uncommon. I would suggest knowing generally where something is (book, then chapter, finally verse) along with a strong memory of what topic the verse goes with is going to be more useful in the long term. It is unlikely as an adult anyone will ask him for a specific verse, but they might challenge him about God's love or faith. Being able to access the verse that way will help him more.

[Tranquility7]

Thanks for all the replies!

 

You could prompt him with the first few words of the verse. Then let him complete the verse.

 

You could prompt him with a topic or situation and ask him what verse would apply, and then accept *any* verse or verses that fit.

<snip>

Or you could review by having him read the verses in a spaced repetition system described in various memory work systems.

 

Or you could do a combination of the methods.

 

 

Hmmm, lots of good ideas. When I prompt with the first few words, he gets it nearly every time. I'm just trying to figure out how to prompt without giving away too much?

 

We do use a spaced repetition system (Anki), which I LOVE. It's just the actual *prompt* to use (even in Anki) that is causing the trouble.

 

I find it easier to learn verses (and where they are found) when I am learning a "chunk" of Bible rather than random disparate verses.

 

 

I have found the exact same thing. Chunks are SO much easier! Maybe I should just go back to those...

 

My experience is that a lot of adults have this problem, so I don't think it is uncommon. I would suggest knowing generally where something is (book, then chapter, finally verse) along with a strong memory of what topic the verse goes with is going to be more useful in the long term. It is unlikely as an adult anyone will ask him for a specific verse, but they might challenge him about God's love or faith. Being able to access the verse that way will help him more.

 

 

This kind of gives me an idea... maybe I can teach him more "structural" Bible memory work to improve context - not a verse, but rather the general area of something or even the outline of a book - e.g., the Sermon on the Mount is in Matthew 5-7, or that Paul spoke to the Galatians about living by the Spirit in Galatians 5. And then he just has to know that "Let your light shine before others that they may see your good works and give glory to your father who is in heaven," is part of the Sermon on the Mount... or that "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control," is part of Paul's instructions to the Galatians.

 

Hmmm. I think building contextual understanding might be the key (at least for books that lend themselves that way... Proverbs is still often a bit random, but maybe it is enough just to know that it is in Proverbs). I'm going to have to mull this over more.

[Holly]

We haven't made a huge effort to learn the actual reference. I also think the verse is more important. I do hope they have an idea of where the verse is...like the book and possibly the chapter as well. As long as I can narrow a verse down to a page or two of the Bible, I can find it easily.

 

When we are learning, I state the reference, then we state the passage or verse together. At the end of the week (or whenever they have it down), they recite it one by one, but usually skip the actual reference. We use SCM's system, so they are constantly reviewing the verses...I'm sure they'll have it down by high school!

[Paula in MS]

I am wondering if you couldn't use prompts like Classical Conversations? Something like "Tell me about the fruits of the spirit"

"Tell me about letting your light shine" " Tell me about how God loves the world" etc. the problem would be when you have many, many verses that overlap.