I LEARNED SO MUCH!!!

Hi guys!!!

So, I suppose I don't have like an 'amazing-ah-hah', but I learned a lot this week, and I'd like to share it!

I decided this week that I was going to study about memorizing (because I have TONS of 'Jane Eyre' to finish), and I learned SO MUCH!

So... here is everything that I learned...

There are lots of different kinds of learners...

1. Auditory
2. Visual
3. Tactile (hands-on)

If you are an auditory learner:

• Lectures or conversations are easy for you to memorize in detail. You would rather just listen and absorb than take notes
• You pick up new languages easily by just listening to them being spoken
• You have a good, wide vocabulary
• You enjoy speaking, and are very good at carrying on a conversation, and being able to get your ideas and thoughts across clearly
• You may play an instrument or have musical talents. You would rather play by ear than read notes.

Memorization Techiques:

• Read: Look over what you have to memorize, and make relationships in your mind that will help you remember these points. Associate it with an experience you've had
• Acronyms: Create acronyms for what you are trying to memorize.
• Create a story: Make up a fun story that has to do with what you are memorizing. It doesn't have to make sense, and I remember things that make no sense even better that things that do!
• Draw: Draw something out to see what you need to remember. This helps with visual learners, too!
• Repeat aloud: Read aloud what you are reading, and then repeat it aloud when you think you have it!
• Take a break: Your brain needs a break from hurting so much!!! Go take a walk around the neighborhood, or eat.
• Record: Record yourself reading it out loud, and listen to it over and over and over again. Read off of your paper along with the recording, or listen to it as you take a nap. Did you know that things actually get in your brain really well if you're listening as you sleep?
• Listen to Others: Ask someone else to read it out loud for you!

What works for me (I'm an auditory learner):

I'm an auditory learner, so I can tell you what helps me when I memorize

• Listening to music helps me a lot while I'm trying to memorize something. Try to get classical music, or music without words so it doesn't distract you from what you're memmorizing.
• Make up a jingle for yourself: Take a well-known song (like 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star'), and sing what you are trying to memorize to it. Sing it over and over again. It gets annoying when next time you're trying to sing the actual version, and you can't because you learned the other version, but at least it works! ;)

If you are a Visual Learner:

• You can remember information you see on pictures or charts, or that you read from books or magazines.
• You create pictures in your mind to help you remember things.
• You are very in tune with your environment and surroundings.

Memorization Techniques:

• Find peace and quiet: You'll learn better with less distractions!
• Color code: Color code your information. For instance: I highlight all of my different roles in a play in different colored highlighters! It doesn't work amazingly for me as a person, but for a visual learner, try it! :)
• Rewrite: Rewrite information. Typing might work, but it's more helpful to do it by hand. Try doing it with your other hand. It may not look pretty, but it makes you focus harder, which will make you remember it better.
• Draw: Draw diagrams, pictures, graphs, or anything you think would help you remember the information.
• Move: Move around as you are studying. Pace back and forth, do some cartwheels as you say it!

If you are a tactile (hands-on) learner:

• Doing and touching things make situations seem more realistic.
• You are good at doing things that are hands-on. (cooking, constructions, drawing, etc., etc.)
• You prefer to move around, and dislike staying put for long periods of time. Classrooms are not your thing!

Memorization Techniques:

• Find an open area: You don't learn well when being confined to small spaces. Find a place where you can move around! (Outside in the backyard, an open room, etc.)
• Act it out: Creatively act out what you are memorizing (this comes in handy if you are memmorizing for acting ;))
• Split it up: Try not to memorize too many things at one time. Split things up into multiple flash cards so there is more for you to do as you are memorizing.
• Repeat: Repeat concepts and ideas.
• And most of all, TAKE BREAKS: Take breaks to move around, dance, do something crazy like that!

And then I found something else really cool!

Types of Memory Systems:

• Keyword: The Keyword method is a powerful technique for memorizing definitions or foreign vocabulary(Cultural Literacy!!!! :)) Associate the sound of the word with it's meaning using a silly mental image
• Link: The link method can be helpful to memorize pretty much anything! :) To create the first link, associate the first 2 items with each other using a memorable mental image (silly or bizarre). For the second link, associate the second image with the third. For the third link, associate the third image iwth the fourth, and so on and so forth... (see the video below)

Have fun memorizing!

Love you all!!

~Gracious <3