Memory Training

by: Markus Janssen

Index of contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Main body 3

2.1 The brain 3

2.1.1 The “Human Brain” 3
2.1.2 The two hemispheres 4
2.1.3 The memory 6

2.2 Mnemonics 8

2.2.1 The basics of mnemonics 8
2.2.2 “Senses-Technique” 9
2.2.3 Association 10
2.2.4 Visualization 11
2.2.5 “String-Technique” 12
2.2.6 “LOCI-Technique” 13
2.2.7 Optimizing outside influences 14

2.3 Easy Learning 16

2.3.1 Definition of learning & what is the learning process 16
2.3.2 Study Concept 17
2.3.3 Mind-Mapping 18
2.3.4 Acoustical Learning 20
2.3.5 SQRRR/SQR3 20
2.3.6 Speed Reading 22

3 Conclusion 24

4 List of literature 25
 

1 Introduction

“So wie das Eisen außer Gebrauch rostet und das stillstehende Wasser verdirbt oder bei Kälte gefriert, so verkommt der Geist ohne Übung.“¹ In order to avoid this situation “Memory Training” can help us. The memory is like a muscle! Train this muscle and it gets better and better. “Memory Training” helps to improve the memorizing function of brain. The tools which “Memory Training” uses are called mnemonics². The main application area of “Memory Training” is the realm of the learning process. This is one of some suitable definitions and confines of “Memory Training”. The definition only shows a short raw outline of the topic “Memory Training”. Besides, along this written assignment, the writers try to point out the methods, instruments and the application area of “Memory Training”.

The paper will give information about methods and instruments of “Memory Training,” but what about the aims of “Memory Training”? The aims of “Memory Training” normally are individual aims. Those like: easy learning of new foreign languages; the interest to improve the general education; “never again forgetting of birthdays” or telephone numbers; to hold presentations and speeches without any help (of cheat sheet) or only to improve the memory performance to register information faster?³ Therefore, the aims of “Memory Training” are not significant for the present written assignment.

The following elaboration begins with the structure and the functions of the human brain, how it works, the process of memorizing and lastly the collaborations of the left and right hemisphere. The next realm of “Memory Training” points out the different kinds of mnemonics. There are a lot of different methods, the writers only point out the main methods for “Memory Training”. An important partition of the mnemonics is the importance of optimizing outside influences in relation to the mnemonics and the learning process. What kind of basic possibilities exist to minimize them?

The last part of the main body is the subtopic “Easy Learning” which acts about methods and instruments to learn easier. Besides the mnemonics which are already important instruments the authors describe further methods and instruments to learn easier. The topic “Memory Training” raise some questions like what is my profit, when can I see the first prosperities and why do companies instruct their people in using mnemonics? The following elaboration should give the reader answers about these questions and perhaps the reader recognizes that “Memory Training” can also help him.

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1 Leonardo da Vinci; Painter and inventor; [1452 – 1519]; Cp.: http://www.blueprints.de/content/blogcategory/43/58/

2 Cp.: Turecek, K. [2004], Page 25

3 Cp.: Rottloff, A. [2005], Page 16