Memory training

Index of contents

  III  

  Index of contents  

  Index of contents  II

  List of Illustrations  III

  List of Tables  IV

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

List of illustrations

  IV  

  List of illustrations  

  Illustration 1: The Human Brain  

  3  

  Illustration 2: The three different memorizing stages  6

  Illustration 3: The Learning-Process-Graph  17

  Illustration 4: Mind-Map about Memory Training  19

List of figures

  V  

  List of tables  

Table 1:  The responsibilities of the left and right hemisphere  5

Table 2:  Memorizing by using senses  9

1 Introduction

1

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 mnemonics 2 . 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.

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

1 Introduction

2

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.

2 Main body: 2.1 The Brain

3

2.1 The Brain

2.1.1 The “Human Brain”

Illustration 1: The “Human Brain” 4

The “Human Brain” as one of the most complex systems is situated in the cranium and surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid which protects the “Human Brain” against outside influences. One of the most important parts of the central nervous system is the “Human Brain”. In the course of evolution the “Human Brain” had to adapt to the different environments with their divers requirements. This adaptation is called the learning process. In the beginning of evolution the brain works like a program. There were a special situation and the brain reacts with a “conduct program”. Nowadays we get a lot of different situations with varying impressions. The “Human brain” links these situations with feelings. E.g. the child who doesn’t do the homework receives as a result of this misconduct a punishment like a prohibition of television. In this situation the child links the feeling of angry

4 Source: http://www.bseinquiry.gov.uk/report/volume16/images/chaptc10.gif

2 Main body: 2.1 The Brain

4

with the experience that by doing the homework the prohibition will be repealed. Thus the child learns. This learning process by connecting feelings with divers’ situations will be accomplished by the cerebral cortex. The cerebellum coordinates every muscle movements. Instructions and information from the cerebral cortex and sense organs about muscle movements will be transmitted to the cerebellum which regulates then the muscle movement. The thalamus has the task to combine the sensory perception with feelings like pain or joy. It is also responsible for crying and laughing. Furthermore does the thalamus evaluate and compare some former experience with the new information. Whereas the hypothalamus which is situated in the lower area of the thalamus the function has to develop feelings like hunger and thirst. Further on the hypothalamus regulate the body temperature on a constant value and it coordinates the workflow between the ductless glands. As a result of these functions the body suits to the different outside circumstances. The part of the hypothalamus which coordinates this is called hypophyse. The hypophyse controls almost the whole hormonal balance including the body growth and the sexual organs. The most important organ is the lobe of the grey cerebric cortex. Perception, memory, thinking, learning and oblivion are functions of this organ. From the top view there are shown two different parts which seem to be separately, but via a bridge (corpus collosum), consisting of nerve fibres, the two parts are connected. These parts are called “The two hemispheres”. 5

2.1.2 The two hemispheres

The two hemispheres are distinguished into the right and left hemisphere which are also have different tasks to accomplish. The right hemisphere controls the function of the left body side and the left hemisphere controls the function of the right body side. Both the left and the right hemisphere have different working functions. The most people use the left hemisphere more often than the right hemisphere. Reasons therefore are that the

5 Cp.: Vester, F. [2004], Page 15 – 27,