How Mnemonic Devices and Songs Help Third and Fourth Graders Learn and Retain Information

Abstract

Much of the information students are required to learn in school consists of isolated facts and discrete bits of specific information and involves a process that incorporates both comprehension and memorization. Students need to learn strategies that work within their style of learning, and then apply them, to create and reinforce the links to acquired information. The concept of mnemonic devices as an aid in learning and recalling information is the focus of this research project, not as a teaching strategy but as an enhancement for students to create long-term memory associations. Mnemonic devices include rhyming, key words, peg words, acrostics and acronyms, visual representations and placement, even songs and poems. Each of these methods which utilize auditory and visual cues has been found to be effective in connecting new information with previous knowledge. The project highlights the use of mnemonic methods in order to acquire information in easier and more stimulating ways. The study was conducted in a western New York suburban school district. The researcher worked with small groups of third and fourth graders daily for a three week period, 45 minutes per session. Data was gathered using field notes, classroom teacher conferences, and post study student responses.