Memory is important for language learning. That’s pretty obvious. But how can you improve your memory?
It turns out there are a number of simple tactics to can use to boost your memory. But underlying all tactics for an improved memory is one very important principle.
The defining principle for all memory tactics is … importance.
If you want to memorise something, it needs to be important to you. More specifically it needs to be important to your brain. Put simply, if your brain thinks something is important it remembers it.
This principle for improving your memory then governs many tactics for memory recall such as mnemonics, acronyms, image association and memory palaces.
In a recent podcast I talked about using the emotion in music to aid in learning new Spanish vocabulary. The idea is simple—in your life you are more likely to remember days of high emotion such as birthday’s, weddings and funerals than low emotion such as last Tuesday. You can then use this idea to make Spanish vocabulary more memorable such as when it used in the lyrics of an emotional song.
In today’s podcast, I talk about a different tactic. I tell a story about a time I memorised 121 digits of Pi for a friends birthday. Not only did I memorise 121 digits of Pi but I did it in 4 hours and on the day I need to perform the recital.
You will see how I used the principle of importance to my advantage for the memory challenge.
Check out today’s podcast to hear the story. At the end of the episode I set you a challenge. The challenge is to use the principle of important to give your memory a boost.
Other episodes mentioned in this podcast:
Real Fast Spanish post mentioned in this podcast:
What is your high stakes memory challenge this week?
Podcast: Play in new window
Another excellent and useful podcast Andrew – many thanks. I’ve been thinking along the same lines actually, after realising my command of ser and estar wasn’t going to improve until I just sat and memorised all the different (common) forms. I’ve been putting it off for long enough, but now I’ve made a little web page to help me: http://www.engine7music.com/language/serestar.html
Nice Alan! What about the stakes? Are you going to put something on the line? How are you going to make it really important that you memorise the verb conjugations of ‘ser’ and ‘estar’ this week?
Yup! I need to gloss all the doors in my apartment. It’ll take a whole day, and it’s a horrible, smelly, messy job. I’ll set myself a goal every week, and if I reach it, I’ll forget about painting till the next week. Positive procrastination!
Awesome, that’s perfect. I love it! Learning verb conjugations sounds so much better.
great info for language learners!! Thanks Andrew. I enjoy your personal stories!
Thanks Meritxell, telling these types of stories is sometimes hard for me because I have natural tendency at times be quite private. I’m glad you got value from it.
it is not easy to share personal stories, specially if they are about your fears but when you share them with other people you realized that we all have similar or even the same fears, and it helps you overcome them. I have a friend who has lived in England for about 12 years (Spanish is her native language) and when people asks hers to repeat something (maybe because they did not hear her) she still always assumes that it is because of her accent or becaauuse she said something wrong. She told me that after all those years living immersed in the language, she still have some fear of making mistakes. Thanks for your great work, Andrew!
After listening to this tip, I decided to chunk by 10 a group of 39 words that I never can remember in the 1000 words to remember list.
I’ll let you know how it worked!
Thanks Marthe, sounds good! 🙂