Learning can be learned! And to better retain information, Mathieu Hainselin, neuropsychologist, recommends a little-known method, which according to him promotes lasting memorization.
Learning a lesson, a poem, revising your lessons before an exam takes time, and not all students have the same concentration or the same patience. To put the odds on your side, most pupils and students summarize the essential points on a revision sheet, so as to see, at a glance, all the information to remember. But “learning is learned”, remind the B2V Observatory of Memories and Mathieu Hainselin, neuropsychologist, who share some effective tips for better memorization.
The specialist recommends first of all taking the time to revise by spreading the revision periods over a long period rather than concentrating everything in a few days before an exam. To strengthen your memory, he also recommends testing yourself regularly, to eliminate stress on the big day and feel ready. Another learning method that has proven itself and motivates students: learning and revising in a group, but also multiplying sensory channels, for example by listening, reading, writing or discussing a topic with other people. Mathieu Hainselin also addresses another, lesser known technique, that of the blank page.
“The blank page technique consists of disconnecting from all visual or written support and writing down everything you remember on a specific subject. This exercise allows you to make a clear assessment of your knowledge. By writing without references, we can easily identify well-mastered concepts, which are easy to find, as well as weaker points, which require additional work.“, he explains.
Generally speaking, learning becomes more effective and easier when it is fun. And for this, we can also associate it with mnemonic means which allow complex information to be memorized in a fun way. “Whether it’s creating songs, acronyms or telling stories, these techniques stimulate creativity and help to anchor ideas in the long term.” If you want to easily remember the names of the planets for example and you always get confused, we give you the tip: just create a sentence from the initial of each planet: Mélanie Vous Tombez Mal Je Suis Un Rotten Turnip! (Mercury – Venus – Earth – Mars – Jupiter – Saturn – Uranus – Neptune and Plato).