The lost art of rote memorization

[kubiac]

How do I educate myself about memorization techniques like memory palaces, mnemonics, etc.?

The only memory techniques I know are based on music and recitation but it seems like there may be more sophisticated approaches.

(I've been watching S1 of Child Genius on Amazon after CG champ Vanya won the Scripps spelling bee and I was amazed by the 52-card memory challenge.)

[Missouri Okie]

There's a book called Moonwalking with Einstein that chronicles how an average Joe became a memory champion using the memory palace and other techniques.  I don't think it's a how-to book more of a memoir, but it may give you some ideas.

There's a book called Moonwalking with Einstein that chronicles how an average Joe became a memory champion using the memory palace and other techniques.  I don't think it's a how-to book more of a memoir, but it may give you some ideas.

 

I was a bit disappointed in this book, because it talked about the memory palace, and other techniques for memorizing random lists like a shuffled deck of cards.. These methods didn't apply things I'd like to memorize: poems, bits of literature, etc.

[mom2bee]

Rote memorization isn't a lost art--its alive and well all over the world and there isn't an age or intellect barrier either and it can be a lot of fun. There are different techniques for different things.

 

Try The Memory Book by Harry Lorayne and Jerry Lucas to get started.

[sbgrace]

Do you want to memorize list type things or words like poems/speeches? If it's the latter, I have an idea that might help.

 

My sons, one of whom doesn't have a gift of rote memory, are seeking to memorize lots of scripture (as in the entire book of Acts) for a competition.

 

In struggling to help him, I ran across a technique I never saw before. It involved:

 

1. Read the passage (poem, speech, scripture...whatever) to be memorized. You might do this one sentence at a time or in an even smaller chunk if needed.

 

2. Write the first letter of each word in the passage (so "Four score and seven years ago" becomes "F s a s y a"). This makes the brain focus on each word.

 

3. Read the passage using just the letters you wrote. Gradually work to where you can get the passage alone without letters or w/just the first starting letter of each section.

 

4. Add the next section, getting to the same point of memory without letters. Review by repeating the entire part you've memorized to that point. Keep repeating periodically throughout the day. You'll know when it's really solid.

 

The idea behind this, which I believe is valid no matter the method used, is that the memory part happens when your brain has to recall. So reading, repeating over and over, etc. aren't as efficient as methods that use whatever method to force the brain to sort and pull information out.

 

I think my son mostly just memorizes in chunks now as his skill has improved, but this method, and similar things, definitely makes sense to me. Oh, this son does use pictures (imagine the cat on the knee..) or word play to get particularly tough things down.

[In The Great White North]

This book has a step by step guide through the memory palace technique, starting with the 10 Commandments as the first exercise.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Memorize-Faith-Most-Anything-Else/dp/1933184175

[kubiac]

Thanks for all the great tips. Will get them all. Meanwhile, discovered that the girl who really impressed me on Child Genius with her 52-card memory streak made a YouTube video explaining her method. Here it is if helps anyone:

 

 

[jenncslp]

How do I educate myself about memorization techniques like memory palaces, mnemonics, etc.?

 

The only memory techniques I know are based on music and recitation but it seems like there may be more sophisticated approaches.

 

(I've been watching S1 of Child Genius on Amazon after CG champ Vanya won the Scripps spelling bee and I was amazed by the 52-card memory challenge.)

 

I loved Child Genius and was so thrilled for Vanya at the Spelling Bee!  I started looking up memory palaces online-there's a wiki on how to do it.  I think it also depends on how you learn.  I learn through doing, often writing.  During college and grad school, I would write information  a couple times and it would help me commit it to memory.  Experiment with different ways-sketching, doodling, writing, listening and find what works best for you.

[RootAnn]

I thought How We Learn was interesting in terms of turning on its head the idea of always studying in the same place. The research studies the author sites indicate that you remember better if you study in different locations. Some study skills books have explanations of different ways to memorize material. 

[AdventuresinHomeschooling]

What great resources! I feel like the trend in our generation is an emphasis on the abstract with children before I feel it is developmentally appropriate. This is why I appreciate the classical methods so much. I love seeing the stages of learning as children develop. Many turn their noses at memorization, and I feel memory is most powerful alongside the context of story, but do not throw the art of memorization out just because some do it poorly.

[Tsuga]

I go backwards, so then there's less hesitation at the end. This works particularly well for poems. What I mean is you memorize the last line first. Then the line leading up to that and the last line.

 

Also with poems, many poems can be set to music, so I choose a song. This risks associating quite a beautiful poem with a very mundane or even irritating song, though, so I am more likely to use it with speeches.

[Bluegoat]

I have a very hard time with any kind of random sets of numbers or letters, so I need to create mnemonics of some kind.

 

Sometimes if there is some kind of mathematics relationship between the numbers that seems obvious to me, that helps.  I think of it in terms of the relationship rather than the individual numbers.

 

My step-dad is really good at creating mnemonics.  I can barely remember my own postal code, but I know their new one because it is "Bought three hamsters, two were sick" (B3H 2W6).

[Guest jim15800]

Go to the website http://artofmemory.com/  it is devoted to mnemonics.   It provides  some  instructional courses as well.