Applying memory strategies to the four language skills

Storage and retrieval of new information are the two key functions of
memory strategies. these strategies, as shown in figure 3.2, help learners store in
memory the important things they hear or read in the new language, thus enlarging
their knowledge base. these strategies also enable learners to retrieve information
from memory when they need to use it for comprehension or production.
descriptions of memory strategies below focus mostly on the storage function,
because that is the initial key to learning, but some general comments are included
about the retrieval function as well.
1. Creating mental linkages
a. Grouping
Grouping involves classifying or reclassifying what is heard or read into
meaningful groups, thus reducing the number of unrelated element. It sometimes
involves labeling the groups, as well. Notice the same of the examples below
involve other strategies, too, such as paying attention or taking not.
The following examples show ways to group material that has been heard in
the new language. First, Norberto, who is learning English, writes down it his
notebook new words when he hears them, and she categorized them
grammatically: for example, you , she, he, they, someone, hard, easy, kind, soft;
quickly, heatedly, markedly, completely, then he labels these categorizes: pronouns,
adjective, and adverbs. Second, Jennie, a student of French. Is listening you a talk
about computers. She writes down the important words, such as Iinformatique
(computer science), Iordinateur (computer), le Moniteur (monitor), Iecran
(screen), le elavier (keyboard), la puce(chip, literally flea!), l'unite centrale (central
processing unit), and les touches (the keys). Then she groups these words
according to whether they are masculine or feminine.
Here are some examples of grouping of written material that has been read.
First, Lucien, a French speaker learning English, groups new words
That he reads by conceptual similarities (e.g., hot, warm, fire, and in reading
he actively looks for the opposites, such as cold, cool, ice. Second, while
Stephanie is reading, she jots down new Russian verbs that she encounters, putting
them into various categories, such as motion verbs and non motion verbs. Third,
Donny makes a column for each of the important French prefixes (e. g, e, en-lm,

entre, paru, sou) and each of the suffixes (e.g, able, age, ier, oin, eux). Then, as he
reads French, Donny writes down interesting examples of words he encounters
which use these prefixes and suffixes.
b. Associating/ Elaborating
This memory strategies involves associating new language information with
familiar concept already in memory. Naturally, these associations are likely to
strengthen comprehension, as stances of associating /elaborating that are
personally significant to the learners involved. Any association must have meaning
to the learner, even though it might not make a geat deal of sense to someone else.
Here are some examples of associating/elaborating in the listening area.
First, Mike wants to remember the name of Solange, the university librarian, who
has just been introduced in French . he associates the name leaving! or Solanges
face is so long. Second, Corazon, a learner of English, hears the word billboard.
She associates it with a previously learned word, board, used for displaying;
therefore she understands and remembers billboard more effectively.
Following are some examples of associating/elaborating in reading. First,
Benjamin reads a German story that contains the word Wissenschaft (knowledge).
He associates this word with the English words wise and shaft and remembers the
German word by thinking of knowledge as a shaft of wisdom. Second, Glennys
reads the Russian word sayuz (ccohoo3)(union); to rember this word, she
associates it with her friend Susie.
c. Placing New Words Into a Context
This strategies involves placing new words or expressions that have been
heard or read into a meaningful; context, such as a spoken or written sentence, as a
way of remembering it, as an example in listening, Michel has heard the names of
the great Lakes in the United State and wants to remember them. To do so, he uses
the acronym. HOMES (standing for Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior)
and puts it in the context of the spoken sentence, MY HOMES on the Great
Lakes.
Written selections often present new words in a meaningful context.
However, students sometimes encounter written lists of words and phrases they
must learn with no supporting or explanatory context. In such cases, it helps for
learners to create their own context. For example, Katya, a learner of English,
encounters a list of word and expressions related to sewing, such as hook, eye,
seam, zipper, button, snap, thread, needle, baste, hem, and stitch. She writes a little

story to put these words into a meaningful context. And Keith, while reading his
German language book, finds a list of verbs that are unrelated in meaning, though
they have some grammatical similarities(e.g ankommen to arrive, aufsichen, to get
up, to go out, forlfahren, to go on, einsteigen, to get in, wegnehmen.to lake away,
abreisen, to set out, zumachen, to shut ). He creates a funny tale that contains all
these verbs.
2. Applying Images and Sounds
The four strategies for applying images and sounds are useful for
remembering new expressions that have been heard or read. These strategies
include using imagery, semantic mapping, using keyword, and representing sounds
in memory. One of these strategies semantic mapping, is immediately helpful for
comprehension, too.
a. Using imagery
A good way to remember what has been heard or read in the new language is
to create a mental image of it. Here are some illustrations. First, Adel, a Spanish
bank manager learning English, tries to remember the American phrase tax shelter,
which he has just heard. He uses a mental image of a mall house protecting or
sheltering a pile of money inside. Second, Quang remembers a whole set of verbs
related to household chores (e.g cooking, cleaning, washing, cutting, buying)by
making a mental image of the situation in which he first heard these words during
an English class in the refugee camp. Third, Helen has just read the phrase les
mouettes blacs (French for the white seagulls), and she mentally pictures white
seagulls flying in the sky. Fourth, jeff has read the Russian sentence yt pismo (I
want to write a letter), and he pictures these Russian Words in his mind.
One kind of making has special value in reading. It invoves remembering a
written item picturing the place where it is located. For instance, Mariette
remembers new English verbs by imagining the place where they are on the page.
Jill remembers the expression Cedes le passage(yield) by picturing the road sign
where she firs read it.
The imagery used to remember expressions does not have to be purely
mental. Drawing can make mental images(of objects like house or tree, or
descriptive adjectives like wide or tall ) more concrete. Even abstract words like
evil or truth can be turned into symbols on a piece of paper for the purpose of
remembering. For many prepositions, such as the equivalent of above, over , under

among, between, below, or into. Learners can draw diagrams with arrows to
illustrate meanings. These visual product do not need to be artistic. Just about
anyone can draw stic figures, sketches, or diagrams to communicate a concept
worth remembering.
b. Semantic Mapping
This strategies arranging concept and relationships on paper to create a
semantic map, a diagram in which the key concept (stated in words) are
highlighted and linked with related concept via arrows or lines. Such a diagram
visually show ideas fit together. This strategies incorporate s a variety of other
memory strategies grouping: grouping, using imagery, and associating elaborating.
This strategies is valuable for improving both memory and comprehension of new
expressions .it can be used for pre listening or pre reading activities designed to
help learners understand and remember vocabulary that will be heard or read. It
can also be used as the basic for an entire listening or reading activity by giving the
main concept or expression and asking students to listen and fill in the rest.
Semantic mapping also provides a good note talking format of course, in an
exercise based on semantic mapping, these is no single right answer, because
different students will have different approaches to clustering idea-unless a
particular formula is taught(not useful practice if the purpose is for learners to
make their own associational linkages).
Three examples of semantic mapping appear in figures 3.3, 3.4, and 3.5. in
the first illustration (figure 3.3), la corrida de taros (the bullfight) is the key
concept, and sets of related vocabulary are listed around this central theme and
linked with it by means of lines. The next two figures (3.4 and 3.5) show a
different example, in which the concept hair is mapped with its related concepts.
Figure 3.4 is a simple version, mainly using words connected with lines. Figure 3.5
enhances the meaning of the words by using abundant pictures of objects, on their
own. Learners can make semantic maps like this to cluster or group related
concepts visually, thus making the concept easier to remember.
c. Using Keywords
This strategies combines sounds and images so that learners can more easily
remember what they hear or read in the new language. The strategy has two steps.
First, identify a familiar word in ones own language or another language that
sounds like the new word. Second, generate a visual image of the new word and
the familiar one interacting in some way. Notice that the target language word does

not have to sound exactly like the familiar word.(additional pronunciation practice
may be needed via the strategies of formally practicing with sounds and writing
systems).
Here are some examples of keywords for remembering what is heard or
read. Brian links the new French Froid (cold) with a familiar word, Freud, then
imagines Freud standing outside in the cold. Sobor (co6op) is the Russian word for
council, so Alice links this new word with so bored, picturing a bunch of
councilors so bored with their meting Howard links the new Spanish word
sombrero (hat with a large brim) with somber, and imagines a somber man wearing
a sombrero, Fourth, in Italian the word for fly is mosca, soBernie pictures flies
invading Mascow. Julianne reads the new Spanish word for waitress, camarere,
relates it to a camera then images a waitress with a camera slung around her neck.
Jeremy reads a new French word, greve(strike); and links it with a familiar English
word that sounds similar, grievance, picturing a group of strikers taking a list of
grievances to their employer. Yolande, a French speaker, reads the English word
pool. To rember it, she thinks of the French word poulet (chicken, also slang for
policement) and imagines a chicken (or policement) with sunglasses sitting by a
pool.
d. Representing sounds in memory
This strategies helps learners remember what they hear by making auditory
rather than visual representations of sounds. This involves linking the new word
with familiar words or sounds from any language: the new language, ones own
language, or any-other.
Rhymes are a well-know example of representing sounds in memory. Most
English speakers know he helpful spelling rhyme I before E except after C
learners can use rhymes, especially in context (see the strategy of placing new
words into a context), to remember new vocabulary they have heard. Here are three
example. Roilande uses rhyme to learn the sounds of English words, such as goat,
coat, boat, float, moat, dute, and she make up nonsense rhymes using these words.
Antonio creates the nonsense rhyme I hit a parrot with my carrot. The parrot said I
am dead! Rudy associates the new French word poubelle(trash can) with a
similar sounding French phrase, plus belle (more beautiful), and he puts these into
humorous rhyme by saying. La plus belle poubelle (the prettiest trash can).
Rhymes are not the only way to represent sounds mentally. Consider these
other ways. Kelley links the new Russian word gazyela(raera) with the English

word gazette, which has a similar sound and meaning. Carlos links the new word
cart with the familiar Spanish word carta because of similar sounds, though the
word maloka (maoka)(milk) in a story. He sounds out the new word in his mind
and English word that sounds similar (milk) and means the same thing. Kiri is
reading an article and finds the new English word familiar. It sounds like a word
she knows, family, so she can remember the new word by the auditory link.