Using Mnemonic Learning Strategies

We've all had this moment:

Trying to remember something simple without any luck.

By using mnemonic devices, you can increase the chance of remembering information.

Mnemonic devices are tools to remember information, like:

• Name mnemonics (acronyms)

• Music mnemonics

• Image mnemonics

Anything you use to remember information can be considered a mnemonic device, not just the examples listed above.

What are the colors of the rainbow?

By using the first letter of each color, a new word is created. This is called a name mnemonic. In the case of the colors of the rainbow, Roy G. Biv is created using the first letters of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.

What's Jenny's number?

867-5309! By putting information to a song or jingle, a music mnemonic is created. Another popular example is the ABC tune, try saying the alphabet without singing the song!

Should you eat more meat or dairy throughout the day? Can't remember? Try recalling the food pyramid.

The food pyramid is an excellent example of an image mnemonic. By shaping the food groups into a pyramid, it's easier to remember which groups you should consume the most, and which groups you should go easy on. An image mnemonic constructs information into a picture to make it easier to remember.

Mnemonic devices help us to remember information. Next time you are having trouble remembering something, try creating a name, music, or image mnemonic!