Are you training your brain regularly?

Can you make a list of the planets in the solar system?
Can you tell each capital of all major countries in the world?

As we grow old, our ability to remember various facts decreases significantly. That’s why we need to train our memory, and the mnemotechnic would be a great tool in this case.

Have you heard of the concept of mnemotechnics?

Mnemotechnics is a technique that helps efficiently memorize new information using associations, rhymes, various alphabetic and numeric codes. This technique could help memory improvement in children and adults, and using it can begin regardless of age.

Who are the mnemotechnics exercises suitable for?

Preschool children.
Mnemotechnics is a technique used by teachers and speech therapists in kindergarten. The technique helps them improve children’s language and speech using squares and pathways.

Students of all ages. Mnemotechnics is used to absorb a large amount of information on various topics.

Adults. This type of brain exercise could be used by the elderly to help prevention of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, dementia, or multiple sclerosis.

Nowadays, we are surrounded by an information balloon. When we search for a piece of certain information, we rely on various search engines or electronic devices. Unfortunately, in this way, the amount of our short-term and long-term memory is being significantly reduced. According to research, people are having trouble remembering basic things more often.

What are the benefits of using mnemotechnics?

There are many advantages to using mnemotechnic techniques for children and adults, for example:

We can memorize information faster. Data from Richard Atkinson’s experiment show that using mnemotechnic techniques, people can memorize 40% more foreign words compared to using our well-known methods for remembering information.
Brain structure reorganization. This significantly increases memory performance. The brain needs regular exercise as much as the muscles of the body.

Versatility. Mnemotechnic exercises are suitable for people of all ages. To maintain a clear mind, it is important to perform these exercises regularly.

Improving mental health. Researchers note that regular brain training could be used by older people to prevent many types of cognitive impairment and help reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s disease or multiple sclerosis.

What mnemotechnic exercises for beginners can be done at home?

Many techniques allow you to train your memory. You can start with simple exercises and resume with those that are more advanced. There are also many books on mnemotechnics, various research, monographs, and much more.

One of the advantages of the technique is that it can be practiced at home. Firstly, you have to schedule and stick to the hours during which you will do the exercises. To get results, you should practice every day for 15-20 minutes.

You start with the most popular exercises to improve memory, for example:

Alphanumeric code.
This is probably the most popular mnemotechnic technique. It is based on the fact that each number is assigned a specific letter. Words, phrases, sentences, or even small stories are made from such letters to memorize large numbers.

Combining numbers and images.
This mnemonic technique is based on the fact that each number has a certain shape (this is how the number itself looks when written). The shape of the number could remind you of a certain object – for example, the number zero compares a circle, a ball, or the sun. The number one looks like a straw; two – a swan, etc. Storing a certain number must be connected to a story.

Shedd system.
This technique can be used, for example, to memorize historical dates or short telephone numbers. They can be learned by composing a special phrase, each word of which is in a strictly defined order and has the number of letters corresponding to the memorized number.

Associations.
This is another simple technique that helps you learn foreign words faster. Just look for an association for each new word, visualize it. This will allow you to quickly recall certain words.

Rhymes.
Studies show that people memorize rhyming words faster. This is why schools often use rhymes to memorize complex information.

Method of history.
This is a well-known method of exercising our ability to learn and memorize new information. The words that need to be memorized could come together in one story. This method has one disadvantage – it is difficult to remember a large amount of information using it.

Repeating.
You’ve probably heard the phrase “Repetition is the mother of learning”. People, mostly students often use the repeating method to memorize new information. To learn a certain text, it is good to do a series of repeats. The first repeat should be 15-20 minutes after you learn it, the second repeat – after 6-8 hours, and the third – after a day.

Mnemotechnics is a useful method for training memory and can be practiced at home by children and adults.

If you have decided to try this method at home, here are some recommendations:
✔️Do not try to master all the methods at once. Start by trying one or two exercises.
✔️Practice regularly. Create a schedule, and make sure nothing distracts you.
✔️Remove all irritants. These include phones, tablets, social networks, and pets. Memory training requires concentration.

Always try to improve the acquired skills. Try to memorize phone numbers or other information using mnemotechnic exercises. The more you use your abilities in your daily life, the more your memory improves.

Remember! Mnemonic exercises should be interesting and bring positive emotions.

Did you know that we use mnemonic techniques in our abacus classes?

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