Memorisation skill referred to as an effortless skill, however, this skill constitutes an important, even if it’s at the lowest levels in Bloom’s taxonomy of learning outcomes., it’s the foundation of learning. Memorisation still performs a vital role in learning, and in the brain’s evolution of normal and abnormal functions.
Despite research emphasising that creativity, innovation, and creative learnings are critical success factors and a global priority in the future, memorisation is equally significant to thinking skills. it is crucial to acquire memorisation strategies to enhance learning where the study published by the American Physiological Society showed that 92.9% of students participating in the study experienced an improvement in information recall after only three 60- min sessions of training in such strategies. (Hoque, 2018). Moreover, Hoque (2018) states that the biggest weakness students have is that they either try to remember school material by rote memorisation or have no strategy at all. Likewise, many educators at all levels have disdain for memorisation, stating that we should focus education on teaching students to think and solve problems as skills for life. Disdaining for memorisation is a relatively new phenomenon in education. In ancient times, people took great pains and pride in memorising huge quantities of information.
On the other hand, Nowak (2022) describes memorisation as a critical learning method that establishes well lifelong mental abilities. It trains the brain to retain more information. Additionally, rote learning helps students store foundational concepts to use in upcoming’ situations, freeing their brains to grasp new concepts. In the age where technology provides every piece of information, memorisation cultivates the foundation of creativity and innovation. Thus, students can only get creative and innovative with their memorised information. Therefore, memorisation isn’t an enemy of education, it doesn’t kill creativity. Instead, it’s essential in education. It also has a prominent place in the classroom, and its incorporation now and then is necessary.
Moreover, Nowak (2022) states that there are a set of tools to assist students recollect information with ease, including 1. Simple Repetition: It involves reading the passage aloud from start to finish and repeating the reading until memorising it. 2. Disappearing Act: The teacher writes a passage on the board and lets students read it aloud a few times. Using an eraser makes a diagonal swipe on the passage. This leaves a blank line in each sentence. Ask each student to read through the passage again. Make another swipe with the eraser and ask the students to read again and repeat this. 3. Acronyms: words formed by combining the first letters in a string of words—for instance, LED (Light-Emitting Diode). Acronyms help to remember a topic in a particular order. 4. Melodies: it plays an influential role in encouraging memory’ work. Thus, some passages are easier to remember when memorised as a song. 5. Logical Patterns: such as chronological order, old to new, simple to complex, and small to large. thus, making memorisation more manageable. 6. Journey: This method of memorisation is also a type of visualisation. It involves using a specific path to remember by associating landmarks in a path with a specific item to retain.
To summarise, Memorisation should not be ignored in learning outcomes as a skill. While critical thinking and problem-solving skills are crucial for success in many fields, having a solid foundation of knowledge and basic facts is also essential. The memorisation process can be enhanced for students if the brain process is better understood and how memory works.
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