The aim of this unit is to provide students with an overview about the different theories of learning and memorising and to provide exercises where students can discover their optimal learning/memorising strategies.

The unit explores different techniques for memorising based on visual and auditory learning styles, and how to commit knowledge to long-term memory.

The unit is introduced by encouraging learners to recognise the difference between deep and surface learning, followed by an exercise that allows them to begin to think about their own learning style. It is not the objective here to limit the learner to a particular style, but to recognise their own way of learning and to expand the number of learning strategies available to them.

Strategies for visual learners include using colour-coding and mind maps, thinking in pictures, using patterns and sequences, and chunking. Using mnemonics, rhythm and rhyme are examples of learning strategies offered to auditory learners. There are interactive exercises to help the student make sense of the concepts.

Finally, the learning is presented in the context of learning in general, and students are reassured that these strategies may not suit everyone, but are encouraged to try them all out.

This unit is part of a number of units in this series developed across the age range to help memory and recall. Although some of these are for younger pupils, students might enjoy working through some of the earlier units on 'Memory tips' and 'Mind maps'.

Extension

• Depending on the subject you are teaching, you may find it appropriate to apply these strategies to specific tasks. For example, you may want to teach some key terms. Ask the group to come up with a mnemonic to help them learn. (Mnemonics are extensively covered in the unit 'Memory tips'.)
• Have a brainstorm of ways in which students themselves have strategies for learning. Whenever there is a task that requires long-term recall, ask students to suggest ways in which the learning can happen.
• When there is some new learning to be done, ask students to learn it for the next lesson. Encourage them to talk about the strategies they used for learning. Encourage them to work in pairs to test each other and offer prompts.
• Students using this unit will also benefit from working through the unit on 'Learning styles'.