With the amount of homework that is given to children these days, it is no wonder it is becoming increasingly difficult to motivate them, especially with memorizing facts and dates. Learning and memorizing does not need to be this difficult, however. Here are some tips that will help your child remember information better and more accurately:
- The Seven Times Rule: Research has shown that students of all ages require information to be presented to them at least seven times using multiple methods before it is remembered. These ways must include at least one audio, one visual, and one experiential. For example, if your child is learning about how to create an algebraic equation, the student would first hear their teacher discuss the topic, then see an example of one written on the white board, and then ideally some type of hands-on example involving money would be used. Outside of school, the student would need to be exposed to the information at least four additional times.
- Use Imagery: Children have wonderful imaginations; therefore, it is no wonder that school can be seen by many children as dull. Instead of helping your child learn a list of dates and events for a history class by using flashcards and repetition, it may be better to help them understand the context of the dates by telling them stories using vivid imagery. Tell them stories that they would find interesting and give them fun facts and trivia along with the nitty-gritty information that was provided by your child’s teacher.
- Experiential Learning: Learning by experience has been proven time and time again to be the richest form of education and memory enhancement for a child. Students who are told how rain is formed do not remember the information nearly as well as those who go to the local Science Place and conduct experiments involving cloud formation. Therefore, it is necessary to expose your children to the concepts they are learning in school by taking them on trips to your local museums, beaches, etc. Essentially, let them play and come up with their own questions on the topics they are learning in school.