Top 10 Strategies to Improve Memory of Students

Students are constantly bombarded with new knowledge in multiple topics. They have to learn and demonstrate their knowledge on daily, weekly, monthly and yearly basis. Hence powerful memory is critical for school success.

Memory problems are common among students. Students who have difficulties in registering information in short-term memory will have problems in remembering what the teachers had taught them during online and offline classes.

Students with difficulties in the storage and retrieval of information from long-term memory, will be unable to recall all the information they had studied, while writing the answers during examinations.

The following strategies will help the students to develop powerful memory.

1. Be Very Attentive While Studying. For information to move from short-term memory into long-term memory, the student should actively attend to the information while studying. Hence always study in a place free of all distractions.
2. Over-Learn New Information – Students should understand the importance of “over-learning” new information. Several error-free repetitions are essential for proper consolidation of information.
3. Use Mnemonics – Students can use the memory aids which will help them to easily remember an idea or phrase with a pattern of letters, numbers or other associations. For example, acronyms can be used when the information is being learned. Recalling the cue while writing the exams, will help the child to recall the information related to it.
4. Stress Management – Stress will interfere with a person’s ability to encode and retrieve information. Hence to improve memory, students should be taught scientific ways to minimize and tolerate stressful situations in life.
5. Become Active Readers – While reading, students should have the determination to understand and evaluate the information scientifically. They should underline or highlight key words. This will help to enhance working memory.
6. Review the Information Before Sleep – This process will increase the consolidation of information and will improve memory.
7. Ensure Adequate Sleep – Sleep is essential for optimizing memory consolidation which in turn leads to long-term memory formation. Adequate sleep is required for retention of memory.
8. Practice Retrieval of Information – Long-term memory can be enhanced when children practice retrieval of information. Taking tests are retrieval practices. Students can make up their own tests. Repeatedly taking practice tests will definitely improve long-term memory.
9. Healthy Diet – Good nutrition is important for brain development, for improving memory and for academic achievement. Integrating a healthy diet can provide optimal circumstances for learning.
10. Study regularly – Children studying regularly every day according to time-table, can remember the material better. Adequate information processing requires repeated sessions of regular learning.