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Memory Strategies How to Learn Spanish Intend to Remember Attitude has much to do with whether you remember something or not Say to yourself, “I am going to remember everything I hear in class today.” Focus on the teacher Get involved, participate, engage Selectivity Determine the most important and select those parts to study Take notes from the text book Writing things down condenses the amount of material you have to study Writing things down often helps you recall the things that you want to remember Recitation Saying ideas aloud is probably the most powerful tool you have to transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory This is why working in a study group is extremely helpful Recitation Ideas Read your notes aloud Paraphrase as you read Teach each other Record your voice Call a friend Get into a study group Basic Background Your understanding of new material depends a great deal on how much you already know The more you increase basic knowledge, the easier it is to build new knowledge on this background Learning today, makes it easier to learn a lot tomorrow Repetition For Spanish, repetition and drill is necessary If you are going to be able to speak Spanish, you need to practice doing it Memorization is necessary Flashcards Vocabulary notes Application Apply what you learn to your own life Make it real by using Spanish with family and friends Go to a Mexican restaurant and try to speak Spanish with the server Find a Spanish-speaking neighbor, friend, parent of a friend and try to speak Spanish with them Mnemonic Devices Mnemonic devices are used for remembering information that is to be memorized As a general rule any type of mnemonic device must be simple, clear and vivid. We tend to remember the unusual, the funny or the personal Five Mnenomic Devices Grouping Rhymes / Songs Acronyms Visual Association Loci Grouping Classify lists on the basis of some common characteristic. Remember the key element of the group. Example: Some verbs in Spanish are I GO VERBS. In the I form of the verb, the Spanish verb ends in –go. tengo – I have salgo – I go out hago – I do or make traigo – I bring Rhymes and Songs Set what you need to remember to a common rhyme or song Example: The vowel song and the army drill / march chant Acronyms Use acronyms to help you remember lists. The first letter from each word in a list forms a key word, name or sentence. Example: Gender – masculine/feminine masculine = ma n r o l n o r ma l feminine = d umbre cion a Visual Association Association involves linking two ideas. When you are memorizing lists of words you can link words by using images. The PEG system allows you to remember sequences of ten unrelated items in the appropriate order. It requires you to remember 10 “peg words” PEG System If you have ten word that you need to remember, you visualize each word interacting with the “peg word” that you already know. Think of 10 “peg words” Memorize the 10 “peg words” Now visualize the Spanish word/object interacting with your “peg word.” The PEG System 1 = bun perro 6 = sticks lapiz 2 = shoe calle 7 = lake cuaderno 3 = tree boligrafo 8 = gate libro 4 = door feo 9 = vine uvas 5 = hive libro 10 = hen papel Loci Greek and Roman orators who had to remember long speeches used the method of “loci” to trigger their memories Visualize a room or route that is familiar to you. Place each item that you wish to remember in a location in the room or along the route “Pick it up” as you take a mental walk Mnemonic devices increase your ability to recall information. They should be abandoned as soon as you know the material so well that you do not need them. Notetaking Preview Writing The 5 R’s Preview Good note taking begins BEFORE you ever go to class Before coming to class you need to preview the material that will be covered This includes previewing the chapter in the book that we are studying and reading over previous class notes Formulate questions about the new material before you come to class Writing Copy down everything on the board Blackboard “scribble” may be a clue to an exam item Use the Cornel method for taking notes (two columns) Number and title all of your notes, include the date Write only on one side of the paper Record, Reduce, Recite, (w)Rite, Review Record main points Label notes in the left-hand margin to help organize your notes Using only labels attempt to recite information from notes Write new vocabulary many times until you know it Review the recite step every few weeks Test Taking Find out what will be covered Review before the test: daily reviews, weekly reviews and major reviews Predict test questions Develop a study plan Avoid procrastination Reduce anxiety by being prepared Test-taking strategies Arrive early Listen carefully to all instructions Avoid friends and panic-stricken people Look over the entire exam, paying particular attention to point values Read all directions Do the easy questions first (this builds confidence) Use the entire time, look over your answers before handing in the exam