What are Mnemonics?

By Lisa Cody-Sehmer, Learning Support Teacher Year 4

Mnemonics are any learning techniques which aid information retention or retrieval in the human memory. The term mnemonics comes from the word “mnemon” meaning mindful. The ancient Greeks developed basic principles of mnemonics over one thousand years ago which we have adapted and continue to use today. We have all probably used mnemonics before, without even realising so. There are many different types of mnemonic devices which can be categorised into four main types – Acronyms and Acrostics, Rhymes and Songs, Imagery and Visualisations and lastly, Chunking.

An acronym is a word (or words) formed by using the first letter(s) of the item you wish to remember. For example, the acronym “Roy G Biv” is useful when remembering the colours of the rainbow – red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo and violet. Alternatively, “Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain” is an acrostic mnemonic which takes the first letter of each colour to make a new, memorable sentence.

Rhymes and Songs

These are acoustic encoding mnemonics which make concepts or rules easier to remember. A common rhyming mnemonic many of us know and use is “i before c, except after c” when spelling words containing the consecutive letters i and e, such as in thief and shield or receive and ceiling.

Imagery and Visualisations Acronyms and Acrostics

Translating words you wish to remember into mental images can be a useful mnemonic device for many because our brains remember images more readily than words. This is especially beneficial for those learning a new language. For example, the Spanish word for sun is sol, so forming the image of the sun burning the sole of one’s foot may be a helpful tool for some learners.

The Method of Loci (also known as The Journey Method) is a mnemonic device also based on imagery and visualisation. For this method, one chooses a familiar location (home or journey to school) and mentally “places” desired objects one wishes to remember around this familiar setting. These things can then be later recalled by simply mentally walking around that location.

Chunking

Because our brains can only process so much information at a time, the mnemonic device of chunking breaks down larger pieces of information into smaller, more memorable chunks. This is especially true for telephone numbers. Unquestionably, 081-745-281 is easier to recall and repeat than 081745281.

How and when are mnemonics used in schools today?

Mnemonics have important implications for teaching and learning in schools today. Research has shown that students who use visual mnemonics and other devices are often able to retrieve information quickly and retain it for longer periods of time. It is important here to note, however, that mnemonics are used in schools to enhance recall, not to facilitate higher order learning. Students first need to have a thorough understanding of a specific concept before recalling and applying it in a different context. Mnemonic devices are not a replacement for learning the material but instead are a retrieval avenue to access what students already know.

Mnemonics can be used in all stages of education (primary, secondary and tertiary) and across many subject areas.

Verbal mnemonics which reduce the amount of information are often used in secondary schools. The nonsense word SOHCAHTOA is a helpful mnemonic for remembering the definitions of the trigonometric functions sine, cosine, and tangent (sine equals opposite over hypotenuse, cosine equals adjacent over hypotenuse, and tangent equals opposite over adjacent).

Also the song “Hey diddle diddle, the Median’s the middle; you add and divide for the Mean. The Mode is the one that appears the most, and the Range is the difference between” is a very useful jingle to refer to in a quiz or exam situation where time is precious.

There are many songs available on YouTube with memorable rhythms to embed all 118 elements of the Periodic Table for those studying Chemistry.

For many students, remembering the position points on a compass can be achieved by simply saying Never Eat Shredded Wheat, which translates to North East, South and West.

In my own practice in the Primary School, I have found using visual/ pictorial and visual/verbal mnemonic devices very effective ways of absorbing and embedding core vocabulary and spelling patterns with my students. English spelling is famously challenging for many because the relationship of sound to letter is more complex than in many other languages. High frequency words such as “said”, “they” and “was” can, for some students, be notoriously problematic to spell. Simply having illustrated acrostic mnemonics displayed in the learning environment enables these students to quickly access the correct spelling and, crucially, prevent stalling mid-sentence which often impedes their flow and creativity. The simple, easily remembered phrases “Sally Ann Is Dancing”, “They Had Eggs Yesterday” and “Worms And Spiders” will ensure that the words “said”, “they” and “was” will always be correctly spelled.

Do Mnemonics promote long-term learning?

When the conditions are right (the subject matter fits to the mnemonic and the student has practised it before), mnemonics can be effective learning tools. An often-asked question is, can the time spent learning a mnemonic be justified? The answer is no if the mnemonic is only used once. However, if the mnemonic is being repeatedly used now, and will so in the future, then it is a very worthwhile investment of time and energy.

Final thoughts

I began by stating that mnemonics are any learning techniques which aid information retention or retrieval in the human memory. What I have discovered while researching this topic is that mnemonics have other non-memory related beneficial side effects, namely, they increase self-esteem and self-motivation. Many students have stated that mnemonics suit their learning styles better and they find learning faster and more enjoyable. Research studies have also shown that having access to acronym mnemonics make it easier for students to remember curriculum content, thereby motivating them to revise for exams. Other studies show that mnemonics reduce exam anxiety.

Parents and educators are united in recognising that every child is different and has unique needs. Ensuring that every student has the bespoke support they need, when they need it, to be successful, is at the heart of our mission at Bangkok Patana School. Using a mnemonic device to enable a student to grow to his or her full potential as an independent life-long learner is just one example of providing equity in education, ensuring that every child has an equal chance for success.