Memory permits you to store and recall information and images that have been previously experienced in life. Working memory helps to store events that occur and transmit them to the short-term memory area of the brain or long-term area. Strategies such as visualization and notetaking can be used to improve working memory and help retain information longer.
Mental Visualization Strategies
Mental visualization strategies help you connect a new word you are learning with a mental image. Substitute words that sound similar to the current word you are trying to memorize and envision the meaning or act of the substituted word to make a connection. For example, the word "lucrative" means "profitable." You may envision yourself doing something "creative," which sounds like the word "lucrative," and "profiting" from it, helping you to remember that the definition is "profitable."
Mnemonic Strategies
Mnemonics use the first initial letters in a series of words to create a phrase or acronym. Acronyms serve to represent a name, title or order in any given subject, helping you recall what that order or name may be by memorizing the those first letters. Acronyms, also known as "initialisms," can help you use your working memory to recall the steps to solve a mathematical problem or geographical locations of the world, such as lakes or oceans. Businesses and organizations often use acronyms to help people in the community remember services or programs that are offered by their establishment.
Note-Taking Strategies
Note-taking involves three types of strategies to help a person who is learning improve his or her working memory. During the note-taking process, you hear a word or information, write it on a sheet of paper, and say the word mentally while writing it. You can memorize the information that is being learned by writing down the keywords in the information, saying it aloud, and using it in a sentence or action, then viewing the information again afterward to reinforce it.
