COMPLEX COGNITIVE PROCESSES

International Islamic University Malaysia (IIUM)

Assignment 4: Complex Cognitive Processes - Memory Strategies, Learning Styles

Humaira’ Binti Mohamad Nasriff (2019798)

Section 2

EDEP 1103

Instructor: Dr. Siti Rafiah Abd. Hamid

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Question:

Some students are not learning very well in your classroom. Two of them have difficulty in
remembering the content taught for the day and some learn better by incorporating text
(visual) and sound (audio) in the teaching and learning materials while others are more audio
rather than visual type of learners.

As the subject teacher,

i) Address briefly about types of memory strategies suitable for the diverse type learners
found in your classroom, for your teaching and learning activities in your classroom. (8
marks)

Memorization plays a significant role in enhancing the learning process. In a classroom, it

is impossible for all the students to possess the same competencies in memorizing
information. Some students remember better by listening, some like images, while others
require application. Every student is different and has their preferred way of remembering
things. It is up to the teacher to identify each of their differences and make use of various
approaches in order to ensure the best academic experience for students.

The first memory strategy I will apply in my classroom is chunking. In this context,
chunking is meant by the process of taking individual pieces of information and placing them
into larger groups before memorizing it (Cherry, 2020). This method is commonly used in
memorizing a long line of numbers but it can actually be used for words too. For example, I
can ask my students to chunk vocabulary words by grouping them into any category they can
think of like occupations or hobbies. Consequently, information becomes much easier to be
retained in the long-term memory and recalled whenever needed. Chunking has proven to be
a lot of help especially to students who always experience difficulty in remembering the
content taught in the classroom.

Moreover, graphic organizers may also be implemented in the teaching and learning
process. They are tools to help us get a clear image of what we are learning (Silbert & Silbert,
n.d.). Graphic organizers come in many types and each of it functions to organize information
accordingly. For instance, the Venn diagram is to figure out comparisons and similarities
between concepts, the Cycle organizer is to show events that go in cycles and mind maps are
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for coming up with key points of a topic. As the teacher, I will draw the graphic organizer in
the classroom and elaborate on its correlation to students at the same time. Thus, they will be
able to build a strong understanding of concepts because they know how it connects to each
other. This strategy works best to students who learn better through both visual and audio.

Besides that, another good memory strategy for teachers to apply in the classroom is
rehearsing which is a repeated practice of information in order to learn it better. Just like
how actors rehearse their lines before recording starts, students also rehearse information but
instead, it can either be for a short or long period of time, depending on the circumstances.
Chang (2015) inferred that rehearsing is said to be the most frequently taught memory
strategy by all teachers. Therefore, I will apply this activity in the classroom by uttering
keywords out loud and asking my students to repeat after me for a few times or until they
remember. Later on, they will only require minimum effort to revise topics as they are
already have the keywords safely stored in their heads. Auditory learners will obtain the
most benefit when applying this technique in class.

Given the responsibility to educate people, I should not stick to only one memory strategy
for all of my lessons even though it is more convenient for me and because it might cater the
needs of a certain amount of students. So, I shall include the three previously stated strategies
in the teaching process whether by focusing on a strategy at a time or combining them
altogether in one lesson. In such manner, the problem of diverse type of students and their
difficulties in learning can be overcome effectively.
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ii) Discuss too briefly types of learning styles that may help you prepare yourself better for
your daily lesson. (7 marks)

Numerous theories and models of learning styles have been proposed by researchers with
the purpose of understanding people’s variation in information-processing. The VAK
learning styles is one of the most widely used model by educators all over the world. VAK is
an abbreviation that refers to three main types of learning styles which are visual, auditory
and kinaesthetic. This model explains that students learn and process information best
through these channels.

First of all is the visual learning style. The most effective way to absorb information for
visual learners is by seeing and reading. Neuroimaging researches discovered that these
learners have the ability to convert words into images in their heads and the other way around
(Kraemer et al., 2009). They also learn efficiently when information is presented through
writing or images. Any kind of visual displays such as illustrations, charts, diagrams and
mind maps are very helpful when it comes to these type of learners (Ocepek et al., 2013). For
these reasons, I will prepare presentation slides that include many interesting visual elements
to activate students’ visualization skills so that they are able to picture the concepts taught
and achieve a higher level of understanding.

The next category is the auditory learning style in which students learn primarily through
listening and speaking. This type of students tend to easily acquire knowledge when listening
to verbal instructions such as audio lessons, discussions or even a simple conversation. It is
claimed that auditory learners may speak and read slowly (Flavin, 2019). If they were
provided with a text and told to read it, they might experience difficulties in grasping its
content unless they read it out aloud. Hence, it is most suitable if I integrate audio materials
in the learning process by preparing voice recordings of lessons for later revision, increasing
discussion time during class and allowing students to work in groups more frequent. This will
not only maximise students’ auditory abilities but also increase their participation in class.

Finally, the kinaesthetic learning style is students’ inclination to learn via movement,
experience and other physical activities rather than listening to lectures or watching
presentations. They love it when are given the chance to do things on their own or in a hands-
on manner like practical applications, experiments, projects and games. In this approach,
teachers only act as a facilitator who give directions and observe students’ progress. Flavin
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(2019) describes that kinaesthetic learners will get fidgety and restless if they were to sit still
in the classroom for a long time. To ensure the utmost use of their skills, I shall conduct a
DIY project and create a role-play session during class. This way, they will certainly retain
information better as they do it all by themselves.

All things considered, teachers must possess sufficient knowledge on their students’
different learning styles because in education, there is no such thing as one size fits all.
Incorporating multisensory approaches through diversified classroom activities will allow the
most efficient learning to occur and lead students to success.
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REFERENCES:

Cherry, K. (2020, July 12). How the Chunking Technique Can Help Improve Your Memory.
https://www.verywellmind.com/chunking-how-can-this-technique-improve-your-
memory-2794969.

Silbert, L. B., & Silbert, A. J. (n.d.). 12 Great Memory Strategies for Better Grades.
Singapore Travel Guide.
https://www.streetdirectory.com/travel_guide/13043/education/12_great_memory_strat
egies_for_better_grades.html.

Chang, S. H. (2015). Memory Strategies Used By Teachers. Ohio Journal of Teacher

Education, 29(1), 7. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED569919.pdf

Ocepek, U., Bosnić, Z., Šerbec, I. N., & Rugelj, J. (2013). Exploring the relation between
learning style models and preferred multimedia types. Computers &
Education, 69(2013), 343–355. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compedu.2013.07.029

Kraemer, D. J. M., Rosenberg, L. M., & Thompson-Schill, S. L. (2009). The Neural

Correlates of Visual and Verbal Cognitive Styles. Journal of Neuroscience, 29(12),
3792–3798. https://doi.org/10.1523/jneurosci.4635-08.2009

Flavin, B. (2019, May 6). Different Types of Learners: What College Students Should Know.
Rasmussen.Edu. https://www.rasmussen.edu/student-experience/college-life/most-
common-types-of-learners/