Memory: How to Help Our Memories Work Better (MH-235) November 11, 2010

An officially sponsored Educational Teleclass
Memory: How to Help Our
Memories Work Better
(MH-235)
November 11, 2010
Presenter:
Phyllis Flood Knerr CPO-CD®, MA
PFK Coach
[email protected]
Copyright © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD. Permission is granted to NSGCD to publish and
distribute this document as an accompaniment to a teleclass. ALL OTHER RIGHTS RESERVED. Any
other use of materials, including reproduction, modification, distribution or re-publication, in print or
electronic format, without the express written consent of the copyright holder, is strictly prohibited.
Teleclass Description and Objectives
How to Help Our Memories Work Better (MH-235)
This is the second half of the teleclass: “Memory: How It Works and How to Improve It” taught
on July 21, 2010. The focus will be on understanding some of the reasons our memories fail,
how to improve our own memories and how to help our clients improve their memories.
Participants will learn:
•
•
•
•
•
Some of the reasons why memory can fail
The five trouble spots of memory
Memory tools & techniques
Matching memory tasks with the right strategies
Healthy habits for a healthy memory
Certificates Available: CD, MH, LS, ELD
Presenter Information
Phyllis Flood Knerr is an organizer and coach who works with her clients to create
personalized organizing systems and then coaches them through the process of change. She
started her business in 1992, drawing upon her education and experience in computer training
and database design, psychology, library science, architectural history and preservation, art
history, and the teaching of humanities.
Phyllis has been an NSGCD Master Trainer in CD and Organization since March 2006. She
also received training as an ADD Coach through the Optimal Functioning Institute (OFI) from
2000 to 2002. Phyllis served as Programming Director on the NSGCD Executive Board from
January, 2005 through June, 2008 and chaired the 2007 and 2008 NSGCD conferences. She is
a Golden Circle member of NAPO and a former President and Treasurer of the Greater
Philadelphia Chapter of NAPO.
She has developed and presented numerous teleclasses including: Neurological Conditions
and the CD Client, Working with Clients with Multiple Sclerosis, Calendaring Techniques for
ADD Clients and Adults, Introduction to Compulsive Hoarding, Change and the CD Client, and a
3-part series on Anxiety Disorders.
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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How to Help Our Memories Work Better
Memory problems or, at least, the perception of memory problems often go hand-in-hand with
chronic disorganization. What causes memory failure? How can we improve our memories?
How can we help our clients improve their memory systems?
In this class I will present an overview of:
•
•
•
•
•
Some of the reasons why memory can fail
The five trouble spots of memory
Memory tools & techniques
Matching memory tasks with the right strategies
Healthy habits for a healthy memory
How does memory work?
Memory consists of multiple systems which each play different, often interrelated, roles in
creating, storing, and recalling memories. When the brain processes information normally, all of
these systems work together perfectly to provide cohesive thought so what seems like a single
memory is actually a complex construction.
There are three main stages in the process of storing and retrieving information.
1. Encoding – the process of acquiring the information & establishing keys for later
retrieval
2. Storing – the process of recording it in the brain,which involves solidifying and
consolidating the information and forming strong connections with other information in
the brain.
3. Retrieving – the process of accessing or reconstructing it later
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Memory
Sensory
Memory
Short-Term
Memory
Working
Memory
Long-Term
Memory
Brief, immediate
less than 1 sec.
Short, 15-30 sec.
Active
&
temporary
Unlimited
storage
Data from
Environment
Sensory
Memory
ShortTerm
Memory
E n c o di n g
Storing
Data
Information
Working
Memory
Long-Term Memory
Autobiographical
Memory
Retrieving
Information
Procedural
Memory
Semantic
Memory
Prospective
Memory
Spatial
Memory
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Long-Term Memory includes:
Autobiographical Memory
Autobiographical or episodic memory is the memory of times, places, associated emotions and
the context of events related to one’s life.
Emotional memories
The term emotional (or affective) memories are autobiographical memories that have emotional
significance.
Flashbulb Memories
Flashbulb memories are a type of emotional memory that are highly detailed,
exceptionally vivid 'snapshots' of the moment and circumstances in which surprising and
consequential (or emotionally arousing) news was heard.
Semantic Memory
Semantic memory is the memory of meanings and concepts that are NOT related to an
individual’s autobiographical experiences.
Semantic memory includes knowledge of words, symbols, or concepts and the rules for their
manipulation or usage, such as in a language. Semantic memory also includes the recollection
of factual information and general knowledge about the world.
Procedural Memory
Procedural memory is long-term memory that involves how to do something. Procedural
memory is used when a person’s prior experiences assist him in the performance of a task
without his/her conscious awareness of those previous experiences.
Spatial Memory
Spatial memory is an internal sense of where one is positioned is his or her environment.
Prospective Memory
Prospective or future memory is remembering to remember or remembering to perform some
action in the future.
Prospective memory draws primarily on pulling something out of Long-Term Memory, rather
than from an external source. That’s what makes it so difficult to remember.
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Retrieving Information
Memories may be retrieved in at least three ways:
•
Recognition
•
Recall
•
Reconstruction
Why do we forget?
•
External or Internal Injuries
•
•
•
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Neurological Disorders (ADHD, Alzheimer’s Disease, Stroke, etc.)
Mental Health Disorders (Anxiety Disorders, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, compulsive
hoarding)
•
Normal Aging
•
Memory Processing Problems during any of the three main stages of storing and retrieving
information.
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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The Five Trouble Spots of Memory
Data from
Environment
1
Sensory
Memory
E nc odi ng
Storing
Data
Information
3
2
4
Working
Memory
5
Retrieving
Information
ShortTerm
Memory
Long-Term Memory
Autobiographical
Memory
Procedural
Memory
Semantic
Memory
Troubleshooting the Five Trouble Spots
Trouble
Spot
1
How to Overcome the Challenge 1
What May Have Occurred
The information may never have
reached Sensory Memory
•
Be mindful and attentive.
•
Make sure the information is clearly
understood.
•
Ask for clarification if necessary.
or
It may have been perceived
incorrectly.
2
The information may not have
transferred correctly from
Sensory Memory to
Working Memory.
•
What is perceived clearly by one person
may not be perceived clearly by others.
•
Even when something was perceived
clearly; it does not mean that it was the
information that was intended.
•
Be mindful and attentive.
•
Make sure attention is focused on the relevant
information rather than on peripheral
information.
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Problems with Working Memory
While the size of working memory can shrink or expand to some degree; sometimes it does fill
up and needs to be cleared.
•
An over-loaded Working Memory causes decreased efficiency.
•
It is important to FILTER OUT useless information from your
Working Memory.
The Importance of Naps
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Trouble
Spot
3
What May Have Occurred
How to Overcome the Challenge 2
Information may not have
been retained long enough
and/or accurately enough to
work with it.
Make use of Elaborative Processing Methods:
•
Review, rehearse, or practice working with
the information actively in Working Memory.
•
Work with alternative presentations of the
material utilizing multiple senses and/or
senses that play to one’s strengths, such as:
•
written materials
•
diagrams
•
illustrations
•
audio recordings
•
manipulatives
•
discussions
•
role-playing
Encourage chunking and clustering,
organizing information into more easily
remembered chunks or groups of related
information
•
•
•
•
Word chunks, e.g., mnemonics or
number chunks, e.g., a phone #
•
Network clusters
•
Hierarchical clusters, e.g., outlines
•
Cluster matrices, e.g., tables of data
Make connections to prior knowledge
already stored in Long-Term Memory.
Promote over-learning of basic skills (those
that will be used repeatedly), so that
concentrating on these doesn't eat up space
in Working Memory.
Work with the information over time,
intermittently, rather than cramming it in one or
two sessions.
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Trouble
Spot
4
5
How to Overcome the Challenge 2
What May Have Occurred
The information may not have •
been correctly transferred from
Working Memory to LongTerm Memory.
Encourage active interaction with the new
information to make connections with
knowledge in Long-Term Memory and
facilitate chunking and clustering.
•
Encourage working with the information in
more than a single context (so that more
connections will be made.)
•
Get some sleep so the brain has time to
consolidate the information. (REMEMBER the
power of a 90-minute cat nap!)
Information may have faded
•
from Long-Term Memory due
to disuse; the synapses may
have begun to disintegrate or
the memories may be buried
•
deep into the recesses of the
mind.
•
Practice accessing information in order to
minimize fading, either by reviewing
information or, even better, by accessing it in
the context of learning new information.
Practice using the information intermittently.
Re-learn the information and code it correctly.
or
It may have been improperly
coded and stored.
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Using Memory Techniques to Improve Memory
• Setting g o a l s
• Establishing routines & schedules and using them habitually
• Keeping things s I m p l e
• Creating
•
+
’s for things
Assigning homes where they are 1st used or last used
•
Putting things back after they’ve been used
•
Creating a “vacation” home
•
Having an “elsewhere” basket and using it
4
for things
• Using internal or external cues
•
Trigger events - an act, impulse, etc. that initiates an action, series of events, etc.
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Modality-Based Memory Devices
•
Auditory-Verbal techniques
•
Visual – Sight-based techniques
•
Kinesthetic – Movement in space
•
Tactile – Touch-based techniques
Modality-based memory devices are forms of elaborative processing.
•
Acoustic encoding
•
Semantic encoding
•
Visual encoding
•
Kinesthetic encoding
•
Tactile encoding
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Verbal (Saying) and Auditory (Hearing) Techniques
Repetition
Repeating someone’s name two or three times right after being introduced.
Mnemonic Devices
A mnemonic device is a memory device designed to help you learn something. Mnemonics rely
on associations between easy-to-remember constructs which can be related back to the data
that is to be remembered.
Acronyms
Acronyms are abbreviations that are formed using the initial components in a phrase or name,
e.g., CD, NSGCD, or ICD.
Acrostics
An acrostic is a poem or other form of writing in which the first letter, syllable or word of each
line or paragraph spells out a word or a message, e.g., S.P.A.C.E. (Sort, Pick [the best ‘n’ toss
the rest], Assign, Contain, Enjoy)
Rhymes and Other Poetic Devices
Rhymes or other poetic devices can be used to help people remember ideas such as the rhyme:
“30 days hath September, April, June, and November . . .”
Alliteration, another poetic device, uses repetition of a particular sound in the first syllables of a
series of words and/or phrases:
“Busy as a bee” is an example of a phrase that uses alliteration.
Musical Reminders
A, B, C, D song to remember the alphabet
Happy Birthday song to remember how long to wash your hands
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Visual Techniques
Visual Images or Keyword Technique
Associating a visual
image with the name of
someone you are
introduced to can help
you remember that
person’s name.
For example, you might
associate someone
Rosie with a rose or
another visual
association, such as
Rosie the Riveter. The
more vivid and colorful
the image, the better.
Norman Rockwell. Rosie the Riveter,
courtesy of Wikipedia.
Other Visual Organizing Techniques & Tools
•
•
•
Method of Loci
Method of Loci (loci is Latin for places) is an ancient and effective way of remembering a lot of
material, such as a speech. You associate each part of what you have to remember with a
landmark in a route you know well, such as the route you take to work or the rooms in your
house.
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Kinesthetic Memory Techniques
Physically moving one’s body through space can reinforce memory.
http://www.easydaysies.com/html/look_here.html
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Tactile Memory Techniques
Using the sense of touch can also reinforce memory.
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Chunking and Clustering
Chunking
Chunking refers to a strategy for making more efficient use of short-term memory by recoding or
grouping information into chunks or manageable units in order to remember more.
Remembering 7+-2 or 4
The average person may retain only about four or five different units of data in short-term
memory, but can increase that by using the technique of chunking.
8564295425
856.429.5425
Clustering
Clustering is a process used to organize material into meaningful groups, i.e., tightly linked
clusters with a theme that unites them. 3
Clustering by Network
Three Clusters Grouped into a Network by a Theme
Info about
person A
Info about
person A
Info about
person A
A
is member
of NSGCD
Info about
person C
Info about
person C
Info about
person B
B
is member
of NSGCD
Info about
person B
Info about
person B
C
is member
of NSGCD
Info about
person C
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Clustering by Matrix
Client
Challenges
Strengths
Interests
Supports
Jean
ADHD inattentive,
hoarding disorder,
anxiety
Interested in lots
of things,
intelligent,
generous,
creative, tactile,
computer savvy
knitting,
history,
music,
cooking
husband,
church,
psychiatrist,
psychologist,
adult children,
music teacher
Cathy
Anxiety disorder,
PTSD,
unemployed
Intelligent, visual,
tactile, computer
literate,
mathematics,
creative teacher
knitting,
bicycling,
travel, cats
brother, sister,
parents,
therapist,
biking group
Bob
ADHD, severe
dyslexia, difficulty
reading & writing
Intelligent,
creative,
kinesthetic,
athletic ability,
plays music ‘by
ear’
tennis,
composing
music
family, friends,
fitness coach,
psychologist
Greg
Alzheimer’s
Disease, Behcet's
disease with
visual impairment,
hearing impaired
Intelligent, wellread, computer
literate
science,
art, music
wife, adult
children,
friends,
medical
specialists,
financial
security,
including longterm
healthcare
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More Tools to Extend Memory
Effective use of tools, paper-based, electronic or other types are important memory tools.
•
Calendars & Planners, smartphones, iPods
•
Checklists, paper & electronic
•
Project-Management techniques and tools, such as setting goals, defining tasks, milestones
and back-up plans
•
Reminder Systems, e.g., Google calendar with email reminders
•
Phones with Speed-Dial & Caller-ID features, voice calling apps
•
Notebooks, binders,
•
Labels to identify all sorts of things
•
Color-Coding systems
Making Information Distinctive
It is easier to remember something that is out of the ordinary.
•
Relevant
•
•
•
Goal-oriented
People-oriented
Learning-oriented
•
Emotionally-Charged
•
Distinctive, unusual
•
Jokes & humor
•
Mindfulness-based learning & doing
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Matching Memory Tasks with the Right Strategies
Memory Task
Information for a test
•
•
•
Strategy
Use study strategies, e.g. A.S.P.I.R.E. (see Appendix)
Use the visual technique (keyword method)
Use mnemonic list-learning strategies
Someone’s name or face
•
•
•
Attend to distinctive and unchangeable features
Use conversational strategies
Create face-name associations
Details about another
person
•
Build strong links between physical features and biographical
codes
Build links between biographical codes and related clusters
•
Important dates
•
•
•
To do something
•
Use mnemonic coding
Use external aids,, e.g., calendar, PDA, smartphone, task
management systems (e.g., Google reminders)
Use a tickler system
•
•
Use external aids, e.g., calendar, PDA, smartphone, task
management systems (e.g., Google reminders), alarms
Use a tickler system
Encode trigger events
When or where something
happened
•
•
•
•
Pay attention, be more mindful
Encode distinctive features of the place or event
Take photographs
Write about it in a calendar or journal
Where you’ve put
something
•
•
•
•
•
Pay attention, be more mindful
Return things to their assigned homes
Put it in a more effective place
Keep an inventory of where things are located
Simplify, reduce the amount of stuff acquired and stored
Whether you have done
something
•
•
•
•
•
Pay attention, be more mindful
Do what’s most important
Delegate
Keep a record on your calendar
Check off items on a task list
The names of things
•
•
•
Use a visual technique or keyword method
Repetition
Seeking the meaning of names
How to do something
•
•
•
Practice
Create a list of procedures, follow-up with a checklist
External aids
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Healthy Habits
Healthy habits are the best defense we have against the ill effects of memory as a result of
physical or mental illness.
Eat a healthy, nutritious
diet including:
A diet based on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and “healthy” fats
will provide lots of health benefits, but such a diet can also improve
memory.
•
B vitamins, especially B6, B12, and folic acid, protect neurons by
breaking down homocysteine, an amino acid that is toxic to nerve
cells. They’re also involved in making red blood cells, which carry
oxygen.
B vitamins
Good sources of B vitamins include spinach and other dark leafy
greens, broccoli, asparagus, strawberries, melons, black beans and
other legumes, soybeans and citrus fruits.
•
Antioxidants, such
as vitamins C, E & A
Antioxidants such as vitamins C, E and A (beta carotene) fight free
radicals, which are atoms formed when oxygen interacts with
certain molecules.
Free radicals are highly reactive and can damage cells, but
antioxidants can interact with them safely and neutralize them.
Antioxidants also improve the flow of oxygen through the body and
brain.
Good sources of antioxidants include blueberries and other berries,
carrots and sweet potatoes, red tomatoes, spinach, broccoli, green
tea, nuts and seeds, citrus fruits and liver.
•
Omega-3 fatty acids
Omega-3 fatty acids are concentrated in the brain and are
associated with cognitive function. They count as “healthy” fats, as
opposed to saturated fats and trans fats, protecting against
inflammation and high cholesterol.
Good sources of omega-3 fatty acids include fish such as salmon,
herring, tuna, halibut, and mackerel; walnuts and walnut oil; and
flaxseed and flaxseed oil.
•
Drink enough water
Water helps maintain the memory system working, especially in
older persons. The lack of water in the body has an immediate and
deep effect on memory; dehydration can generate confusion and
other thought difficulties
•
Limit use of alcohol
Alcohol interferes especially with short-term memory. It impairs the
ability for retaining new information.
•
Limit use of caffeine
Although caffeine gives a feeling of raising attention it does interfere
with memory function.
•
Take medication as
needed &
prescribed
Taking medication for depression, anxiety disorders, ADHD,
hypertension or other health issues as prescribed is also important.
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Healthy Habits, continued
Don’t smoke
Smoking increases the risk of vascular disorders that can cause
stroke and constrict arteries that deliver oxygen to the brain.
Manage stress
Stress makes it difficult to concentrate and too much stress, too often,
means too much of the stress hormone, cortisol, which can damage
the hippocampus.
Sleep well
Insomnia and fatigue are major sources of stress that impair
concentration and memory.
Exercise regularly
Increases oxygen to the brain. Reduces the risk for disorders that
lead to memory loss, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
May enhance the effects of helpful brain chemicals and protect brain
cells.
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Exercise your brain!
Neurobics™ is a unique system of brain exercises using your five physical senses and your
emotional sense in unexpected ways that encourage you to shake up your everyday routines.
They are designed to help your brain manufacture its own nutrients that strengthen, preserve,
and grow brain cells.
Created by Lawrence C. Katz, Ph.D., a professor of neurobiology at Duke University Medical
Center, neurobics can be done anywhere, anytime, in offbeat, fun and easy ways. Nevertheless,
these exercises can activate underused nerve pathways and connections, helping you achieve
a fit and flexible mind. 4
To be neurobic, an exercise should do one or more of the following:
•
Involve one or more of your senses in a novel context.
•
Engage your attention.
•
Break a routine activity in an unexpected, novel way 5
Brain fitness software
•
HAPPYneuron™ - http://www.happy-neuron.com/
•
Lumosity – Lumos Labs Inc. - http://www.lumosity.com/k/brain-game
•
PositScience - http://www.positscience.com/
•
•
The Brain Fitness Program
•
The InSight Program
CogniFit Brain Fitness Programs - http://www.cognifit.com/
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Continue Learning, but Don’t Overload Your Working Memory
•
It’s important to filter out your working memory of useless information. Some things are
much better forgotten. And though it can be challenging to put some things in the past, to
forget bad memories, in the long run it will be better for your brain in the present and the
future.
•
An over-loaded Working Memory causes decreased efficiency. Whether you are overloading your schedule, worrying too much about things, or trying to do too many things at
the same time, these things fill up Working Memory and can cause a sort of traffic jam in
your brain.
•
A balance of learning and forgetting is probably the best medicine for a healthy brain.
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Summary
In these two memory classes I have presented an overview of:
•
•
•
•
•
What memory is
How it works
The types of memory that exist
What happens when memory isn’t working, and
Strategies to improve memory
† List at least 3 types of memory
† List several reasons why memory can fail
† Identify the five trouble spots of memory
† Name at least 5 strategies for improving memory
† List some examples of memory tools & techniques
† Know how to match memory tasks with the right strategies
† List 5 healthy habits for a healthy memory
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Complex. Current Opinion in Neurobiology 2004, 14:198-202. Accessed via
www.sciencedirect.com.
Schaffhausen, J. BrainConnection.com. The Day His World Stood Still. Retrieved November 4,
2010 from http://brainconnection.positscience.com/topics/?main=fa/hm-memory.
ScienceDaily. (2009, March 13). 'Mind-Reading' Experiment Highlights How Brain Records
Memories. ScienceDaily, Retrieved November 4, 2010 from
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090312114754.htm.
Soltis, G. (2008, September 14). 5 Things You Must Never Forget. Retrieved November 4,
2010 from http://www.livescience.com/health/080912-top5-memory-facts.html.
Taylor, J. (2006). My Stroke of Insight; A Brain Scientist’s Personal Journey. New York, Viking.
Wikipedia articles on Memory and related topics.
MH-235 Memory: How It Works & How to Improve It © 2010 Phyllis Flood Knerr and NSGCD 11/11/2010
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Appendix
"A.S.P.I.R.E."
A Study System
A - Approach/Attitude/Arrange
•
Approach your studies with a positive attitude
•
Arrange your schedule to eliminate distractions
S - Select/Survey/Study
•
Select a reasonable chunk of material to study
•
Survey the headings, graphics, pre- and post questions to get an overview
•
Study and mark any information you don’t understand
P - Put aside/Piece together
•
Put aside your books and notes
•
Piece together what you've studied, either alone, with a study buddy or group, and
summarize what you understand.
I - Inspect/Investigate/Inquire
•
Inspect what you did not understand.
•
Investigate alternative sources of information you can refer to using other text books,
websites, experts, tutors, etc.
•
Inquire from support professionals (academic support, librarians, tutors, teachers,
experts,) for assistance
R - Reconsider/Reflect/Relay
•
Reconsider the content:
If I could speak to the author, what questions would I ask or what criticism would I offer?
•
Reflect on the material:
How can I apply this material to what I am interested in?
•
Relay understanding:
How would I make this information interesting and understandable to other students?
E - Evaluate/Examine/Explore
•
Evaluate your grades on tests and tasks look for a pattern
•
Examine your process toward improving it
•
Explore options with a teacher, support professional, tutor, etc.
Joe Landsberger. Study Guides and Strategies. ASPIRE Study System.
http://www.studygs.net/aspire.htm.
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Endnotes
1
Strengthening Memory and Minimizing Forgetting,
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy6/edpsy6_strengthening.htm
2
Strengthening Memory and Minimizing Forgetting,
http://education.calumet.purdue.edu/vockell/edPsybook/Edpsy6/edpsy6_strengthening.htm
3
McPherson. (2000). The Memory Key, pp. 50-61.
4
Neurobics, The Franklin Institute. Neurobics. http://www.fi.edu/learn/brain/exercise.html.
5
Brain Exercise: Which Ones are Neurobic? http://www.neurobics.com/exercise.html.
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