7 Tips for Increasing Student Memory

Not all students learn equally. For instance, one child can pick up on something within minutes while it may take another student a couple of hours to do. As a teacher, it can be a frustrating experience when you are trying to get all thirty students on the same page. As a parent, it can leave you pulling out all of your hair and swearing that for now on you are going to hire a tutor. Why is it that the most difficult kid to work with is often your own?

In any case, whether you are a parent or an educator, don’t give up hope quite yet. Follow these seven tips for increasing student memory and in no time at all, your student will be exactly where they need to be.

Take a Break From Learning and Do a Bit of Exercise

There is a reason you are able to think so clearly after completing some exercise. More oxygen and nutrients are entering into the brain and helping you concentrate much better. If you are halfway into an hour study session, take a break and go do a bit of running. When you come back, you will be thinking much clearer.

Create Flashcards

Flashcards don’t just work well for math facts, but they are amazingly helpful for all subjects and topics. The key is to not just review them while you are studying. You should place these flashcards in various spots that you visit often. For instance, when the student brushes their teeth every morning and night, they can review the flashcards while they are doing it if they have the cards next to the bathroom sink. Before long, any information written on the flashcards will be able to be recalled instantly.

Make Sure You Get Enough Sleep

If you have ever woken up in the morning after tossing and turning all night, you know that your brain does not work well when it is facing sleep deprivation. Adults need approximately eight hours of sleep a night to function. If it is a young kid or even a teenager, they might require even more. Don’t skimp on the sleep and you should be able to remember information better.

Study with a Buddy

If you study with a friend, you can often recall things better as they may present information in a way that is more memorable. However, if you are just studying with a friend to kill some time and have a few laughs, you probably won’t be getting much learning accomplished. Choose your study buddy wisely!

Have Brain Food in Your Diet

Omega-3s are well known to support cognitive functioning. If you want to improve memory and focus, your diet has to consist more of just pizza, soda, and chips. Foods that are rich in sugar are sabotaging you. Fish is a rich source of omega-3, so stock up on the salmon, tuna, halibut, trout, mackerel, sardines, and herring. A little brain food in your diet every day will help! Also, if you need a quick pick me up, a little caffeine goes a long way. Caffeine is the world’s most used nootropic (smart drug), just don’t overdo it.

Recite Information Aloud

It is well known that a person can remember information better when they read it aloud. By doing this, you are working more than just one of your senses and your brain can focus and recall it better. For instance, if you have ever tried to assemble a bike or even a piece of furniture, when the task starts to get complicated, the first thing you do is start reading the directions out loud. Saying it, reading it, and hearing it all at the same time will improve your recall and help you understand something better.

Apply What You Are Trying to Learn to Your Own Life

This may take some creative thinking, but try to link the information you are trying to learn to things that have happened in your own life. If you are doing your best to remember the key aspects of a novel, apply it to your own living situation. If the main character is struggling with parents or is not the most popular person in town, a student might be able to relate to it rather well.

One of the most important times for a high school student to maximize their memory is while they are preparing for the ACT or the SAT. Their college future can depend on the score they achieve on these standardized tests. Luckily, if you have a high schooler yourself or want to help out a high school student that you know, you can point them into iAchieve’s direction. We offer tutoring for the ACT and SAT that will get any student over the hump.

by: Ryan Crawley

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