HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR CHILD'S MEMORY FOR LANGUAGE LEARNING

The relationship between memory and learning is exceptionally close and intertwined. Short term memory helps learners to process and remember new information which helps them to tackle the task at hand. While a good memory is important for any and all learning forms, it’s especially important to language learners.

Our memories are a crucial tool for learning a language. The good news is that even if you or your child don’t have a particularly good memory, there are ways to improve it. Just like we can strengthen our physical bodies, we are also able to grow and enhance our short and long term memories.

These eight simple tips can be used to help improve your child’s memory.

1. Help make connections

Help your child to form associations that connect different Spanish words to their corresponding object in a memorable way. For instance; you could make Spanish labels for specific objects in your home (table, cup, bed, door) and have your child attach each label to the correct object. Finding fun ways to connect information helps to form and retrieve the long-term memory. In addition, it helps with working memory - what we use to hold and compare new and old memories.

2. Break information down into smaller parts

You don’t want to overwhelm your child. By breaking the learning process up into smaller sections, it’s easier to grab their attention and keep it. If they feel overwhelmed and don’t understand what’s going on, they will lose interest very quickly. If you’ve ever wondered social security numbers and phone numbers have hyphens in them - it’s because it’s easier to remember small groups of digits.

It’s exactly the same when it comes to language learning. Give your child small tasks at a time (only a few words or phrases a day) and allow them all the time that they need to remember it.

3. Try memory-boosting games

Childhood favorites like the memory (concentration) games are a great way to boost your child’s brain power. There are plenty of matching games out there to help children to work on their visual memory. For language-learning, you can buy a memory game in that particular language, like Spanish, to make it more relevant. Alternatively, you could buy a Spanish magazine and have your child draw a circle around specific words or objects. Or while you’re driving in the car, you could have them recite letters and numbers on different license plates. These are just a few ideas - there are plenty of ways that you can use games to help with your children’s language-learning.

4. Encourage questions

The first step to remembering anything, whether it be math, science, or a new language, is by understanding it. By encouraging your child to ask questions, you can be sure that they have full comprehension on the subject. If you don’t know the answer, you can research it and get back to them. Understanding plays an essential part in improving the memory.

5. Create rhymes and songs

A proven way to enhance a child’s memory is through music. But you can take it a step further and help your child to write their own song, poem, or rhyme. Music has the ability to help children to focus and can manipulate the mind and help them to create and retain more in-depth memories.

By constructing their own “sounds”, children will be better able to retain and recall, and more importantly understand the subject, which in this case is a new language. But you could even just have them listen to Spanish music - this is also a great way to improve memory and recall.

6. Make it multisensory

Multisensory learning is a way of receiving information that is effective for all learners because the information that is coming is connected to other senses in the body. Basically, it’s when a learner has multiple senses stimulated at the same time.

Some good ways to implement multisensory learning are the following:

• Write Spanish words down so your child can see them

• Say the words or phrases out loud so they can hear them

• Walk through the house and point out objects that relate to corresponding Spanish words

7. Play an active role in the learning process

You can make the learning process more engaging by having relevant conversations with your child. If you yourself are able to speak Spanish - talk to them in Spanish as often as possible. Or simply ask them to tell you something new that they’ve learnt each day.

8. Make learning fun

When it comes to teaching children anything, it’s important to make the process as fun and exciting as possible. You can enhance your child’s enthusiasm by letting them watch Spanish movies, visiting related galleries or museums, or simply allow them to play games. Whatever you do, try to make it as entertaining as possible.