Sunday, February 4, 2007

What was that again?

Few writings really need to be memorized-that is, to be learned so that they can be repeated word for word. But I find a very hard time doing that. It takes a lot of time and effort for me to memorize even a few lines of poetry or dialogue. Memorizing a whole paragraph of prose can be a very difficult chore for us.
But think for a moment of popular songs. Why are they so easy to remember? We remember the words of popular songs because we have heard them over and over again. Also, we associate the words with the rhythm, and melody of the music. And most lyrics have some kind of rhyme. Rhyme, rhythm and melody are linked together very closely. They work together to help you bring the words to mind.
Memorizing prose, however, is a bit different. There is neither music nor rhyme to help you remember. Well, I took the idea from my teacher. On the other hand, every piece of prose is written according to pattern. Can you identify any special patterns in the texts that you have heard or read? Is the organization obvious-such as chronological order? If you can discover how the author organized his material, you will not only understand it; you will also be better able to memorize it.
Whether you are memorizing poetry or prose, there are several things that are important for you to do. I got this again, from my teacher. First, understand what you are memorizing; it should make sense to you. Second, repeat over and over again silently or orally what you are to memorize. Frequent periods of repetition are the only sure way to remember accurately. But be careful! Make sure you are repeating exactly what you want to memorize. Third, alternate your practice periods with frequent rest periods. Take a break if you get bored, move around, if that will keep you alert. If you can stay alert, you can memorize faster and you will remember more clearly what you have memorized. When you store material rapidly, it will come back to you easily.
When you memorize, here are some guides: Make up your mind to memorize; understand what you are to memorize; use frequent practice periods and recite aloud. If you are memorizing poetry, make use of the rhythm and rhyme; if you are to memorize prose, follow the author's organization. Patience is another key to help you remember what you have written or read. Don't readily lose your temper and give up because you cannot do things right without starting it right. Try and try until you succeed. Remember: Constant correct practice makes perfect. If you memorize with all your heart, you would succeed to understand what you memorized.
These can help you in your studying process to help you remember the things you studied for a purpose. May you be guided with this daily specially if your a student who is very industrious in studying.But always remember to eat first so that your mind would be boosted with much energy. Good Day!

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