...the case for memory training in education.
Well, let’s first state the obvious… that a good memory does not simply equate to intelligence or intellect. Clearly, understanding in any subject and the skill of the teacher to impart knowledge and evoke interest are all key. That said, if a student’s task is to recite or recreate lists of data, knowing the full list up front via easy recall is a great starting point!
Now we’re not talking mnemonics here; as someone who grew up with ROTE for times tables, alphabet and French lessons, with Every Good Boy Deserves Favour in music, or solar system planet order via My Very Eager Mother Just Saw Ugly Nancy… such tricks may be OK, but have very limited scope in extensive fields of learning.
Most people would agree “a picture paints a thousand words” and there is clear understanding in brain research re’ “picture superiority” when it comes to encoding, retaining and recalling facts. It is estimated the human brain can assimilate an image 60,000 times faster than the word description… and so it is in this area where memory training can overlay and intertwine to supplement traditional and current learning methods.
And if students can benefit, one would assume so would their teachers. In fact, on the latter, in an area where schools hotly compete to win the university entry stats, one can imagine the impact of a school-wide integrated strategy.
When seeing someone transform from hardly remembering half a dozen items on a shopping list to being able to recall every one of 50 items and more in any order - days later if needed - is something to behold. People who literally never gave their memory a second thought, who had presumed we’re all stuck with what we’re given and that great memories belong to only the gifted lucky few, soon know that myth can easily be broken.
So, when it comes to education, particularly around exam time, a system which can relieve the stress of “cramming” can be very useful. Being able to transpose a technique from shopping items to geographic data, historical events, brain anatomy or whatever, is quickly taken on board.
An Elephant Brain clients come from commerce, health and education. Earliest course participants have been seniors or post stroke recoverees keen on improving brain health. But for students (outside school curricula) they have been able to adopt, absorb and apply more rapidly than others.
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