Do more with less memory

Chapter 7 Appropriate choice of concentration or dispersion for memory

In the arrangement of memory time and content, there are generally two ways: one is to concentrate memory; the other is to disperse memory.In terms of content, concentration is equivalent to the whole, and dispersion is equivalent to segmentation; in terms of time, concentration is continuous long-term memory, and dispersion is memory in segments.

1. Two meanings of concentrated memory.

(1) Concentrate the time required to learn the materials, and memorize the materials repeatedly one after another.

【Experimental support】

Psychologists have done many experiments to prove that the memory method of "concentrating superior forces to fight the war of annihilation" is superior.In an experiment, a student was asked to memorize 50 numbers, and the learning times were different.In the case of repeating 1-4 times, the number that can be remembered is not much, but once it exceeds 4 times, the number of numbers that can be remembered will increase sharply.After repeating 7 times, you can basically remember all the numbers.This experiment shows that memorizing a longer material always requires a certain number of times.Repeating 7 times is most suitable for memorizing 50 numbers.

It has also been found that repeating 7 times is also the best number of times to memorize foreign words.The optimal number of repetitions for memorizing Chinese characters is 15 times for reading and 10 times for writing.

(2) Proper over-learning.

For example, it takes 6 repetitions to memorize all 30 foreign words, and the learning level at this time is set as 100%.If you stop immediately when you have learned 100%, although you have learned everything at that time, it is not consolidated and it is easy to forget.If you continue to learn at this time, it is called overlearning.In general, any study should be over-studied in order to firmly remember what was learned.When the excessive degree is between 50% and 100%, the learning effect is the best.

【Experimental support】

Someone conducted an experiment on the number of times primary school students memorized new words and copied them.For the same new characters, Group A copied 5 times, Group B copied 10 times, Group C copied 15 times, and Group D copied 30 times. Tested after 7 days, the results of groups B and D were the best, and tested after 48 days, group B was the best, and obviously surpassed group D.

This shows that group B has the best effect of copying 10 times. Copying group C 15 times and group D copying 30 times is redundant, which wastes time and energy, and the effect is not good.

This shows that too much concentration is not conducive to memory.

2. Use the concentrated memory method to pay attention to two points.

According to these principles, when learning and memorizing, don't just touch it like a superficial thing, don't do it for a while, and do it for a while, but focus on the learning time and learning content, and over-study appropriately.For this reason, you should first know how long it is best to concentrate on the materials you memorize.Of course, it is not easy to understand this, because the best number of times to memorize is different for different materials, and there are individual differences between people.Generally speaking, 30-40 minutes for elementary school students, 1 hour for middle school students, and 90 minutes for college students are more appropriate.According to the actual situation of each person, with no excessive fatigue and the best learning effect as the criterion, determine your own concentrated memory time to find the best number of times, based on both theory and personal experience.

In order to avoid all kinds of interference from the outside world and to avoid interruption of thinking, when concentrating on completing a certain learning task, you can temporarily close yourself up, isolate yourself from communication with the outside world, conduct efficient concentrated learning, and break through certain learning content. for better learning outcomes.However, it is not easy to use this method too much, and it cannot be just too much. If it violates the law of combining work and rest, it will be tolerated and cause adverse consequences.

3. The concentrated memory method is more suitable for English learning.

The currently popular English trinity method is the concentrated learning method.It divides the learning process of English into three stages: concentrating on memorizing vocabulary, concentrating on memorizing grammar and comprehensive practice.

(1) Focus on memorizing vocabulary.

It demands immediate concentration of the reader's time and concentration on vocabulary learning.

This can break the unit boundaries, change from scattered to concentrated, and gather the words to be learned in the book.According to the rules of pronunciation, monophthongs, diphthongs and syllables are mainly in the order of stressed vowels, arranged in sequence, concentrated learning, short-term assault; with the help of words with the same pronunciation, the same part of speech, the same structure, the same meaning or the opposite, etc. Connect to strengthen memory; use images, real objects, and homophonic strings to form sentences, compose essays, etc. to deepen memory.In this way, from easy to difficult, from simple to complex, from shallow to deep, you can quickly learn a large number of vocabulary, and can use it flexibly, learning easily and happily.

Focusing on memorizing vocabulary is a strengthening process. It concentrates materials, time, energy, and all means and methods to create a strengthened environment. It pays attention to mobilizing the enthusiasm of learners in all directions, and the effect is very obvious by using the repeated cycle method.

(2) Focus on memorizing grammar.

Aiming at the problem that grammar points are too scattered and unsystematic in conventional learning, follow the principle of relative concentration and repeated consolidation, and learn grammar in the order of its appearance in the learning content, using three forms of advanced concentration, random concentration and comprehensive concentration.Advanced concentration is to preview the regular, important and common grammatical phenomena concisely in advance; random concentration is to further reveal the internal laws of grammar on the basis of digesting and absorbing the contents of advanced concentration, and conduct in-depth analysis according to some special phenomena. Learning grammar; comprehensive concentration is to organically refine and deepen the grammatical knowledge that has been taught, and make key breakthroughs on difficult points, discover laws from them, and improve comprehensive application ability.

Concentrated grammar teaching is just trying to draw inferences from one instance and draw inferences by analogy in practice, not only discovering general laws, but also revealing special laws, so that grammar teaching changes from disorder to order.Concentrated grammar learning enables readers to remove their own learning obstacles on the basis of mastering a large number of vocabulary, and stimulates students' learning initiative.Through concentrated learning of grammar, try our best to make students understand the general situation of English grammar earlier.

(3) Comprehensive time.

Finally, in comprehensive practice, English learning can naturally achieve good results.

1. Advantages of scattered memory method.

The scattered memory method is a method of dividing longer and more complex learning materials into several sections for memorization, interspersed with rest or other activities to strengthen memory.

Concentrated memory has its certain advantages, but concentrated memory refers to the method that should be adopted in a short period of time or for materials with small memory capacity.If the study time is long, or the material capacity to be memorized is large, the scattered memory method should be adopted.For example, if you study continuously for 4 hours, it is better to take a 50-minute break after every 10 minutes of study, or divide the 4 hours to study 1 hour a day.Someone has done such an experiment: Let a group of fourth-grade students read a long poem repeatedly until they memorize it word by word.The other group took the scattered memory method.The results show that the first group needs to read 18 times to memorize them proficiently, while the second group needs to read 7-8 times on average.

【Experimental support】

A psychologist also conducted such an experiment: let two groups of students with similar intelligence levels read history and economics materials. Read for 5 consecutive days.As a result, the two groups were tested immediately after reading the materials, and their scores were similar, but they were tested again two weeks later and one month later. One-third, the second group can remember about one-third, 5 times more than the first group.

Therefore, when memorizing materials that are relatively long, or when memorizing materials is relatively difficult, the effect of scattered memory is better than that of concentrated memory.Using the scattered memory method, not only the speed of memory is fast, but also there are fewer mistakes.In the above experiment, under the condition of concentrated learning, each person made an average of 9 mistakes in the retest, but only 4 mistakes under the condition of decentralized learning.This is because:
In distributed learning, the rest time in the middle can consolidate the content just learned, thereby improving the memory effect. Distributed learning can avoid the loss of interest and attention caused by too long learning time.

Distributed learning can also avoid mutual interference of learning materials before and after.When the memory is scattered, the nerve cells of the human brain can get a proper rest; on the contrary, the same material is always repeated, and monotonous stimulation is likely to cause protective inhibition of the cerebral cortex.

2. Notes on efficient use of scattered memory.

Distributed review should pay attention to the time interval.Please remember: the review effect of the new lesson on the day is better, and then review each system once a week, one month, two months, and one semester, and you will be able to master it firmly.Especially difficult learning materials are more suitable for decentralized review.Pay attention to the following two points to make better use of the advantages of decentralized review:
Distributed review must have certain prerequisites.Time is limited, the time cannot be divided too finely, and the interval is too long. It is best to combine decentralization and concentration.

The time should not be too scattered, pay attention to implementing the principle of timely review.

The interval between each study should not be too short; that would create mutual influence.

But it should not be too long.If you have forgotten all the materials from the last time when you study next time, it means that the interval is too long and should be adjusted appropriately.

Generally speaking, the dispersion method of pure memory materials is better, and it is more suitable for students with poor learning ability.For some knowledge that is numerous but must be memorized directly, various breakthroughs and scattered memory methods can be adopted to increase students' interest and confidence and enhance the effect of memory.Decompose the more complex and difficult-to-remember basic knowledge into several levels, from point to surface, from the trunk to the branch, and then connect the key points of each level separately.In this way, complex and difficult problems can be memorized.

The pros and cons of concentrated memory method and scattered memory method are related to the length and difficulty of the materials to be memorized.Materials that are more systematic, such as essay questions, are suitable for centralized memory; while those with strong memory and scattered content are suitable for scattered memory, such as English words, names of people and places, time and age, etc.It is possible to cross-combine disperse-concentrate and segment-whole, and adopt the matching method of "time concentration-content segment" or "time disperse-content whole".

In addition, there is a memory method that combines segmentation and the whole, called "progressive segmentation memory method", which concentrates regions while segmenting, and synthesizes several small segments into a large segment.This method is not only convenient for segmented memory, breaking down each part, but also conducive to strengthening the connection between each segment of materials and integrating them; at the same time, it is suitable for both concentrated learning and decentralized learning.No matter what kind of knowledge, it is "a lot of time to learn, and a line of time to use".In the general review, in addition to network-based induction of knowledge (whole), it is also necessary to summarize certain knowledge from different angles (part).Especially some knowledge that has a certain connection but is scattered everywhere, if it is sorted out by combining the two, it will be of great help to enhance the learning effect.

In short, centralized memory and decentralized memory are relative, and it cannot be said which of the two methods is better and which is worse.According to the length of learning time, the capacity, nature, characteristics, difficulty of memorizing materials and the specific situation of each person, choose the memory method suitable for each person.

In the application of the memory method, it is necessary to plan and arrange the learning time according to the learning objectives.That is, target management of time, strict planning, and reasonable operations.What to study in a day and when to use it for study should first be considered. Arrange the most important learning content or the more difficult learning during the time when the energy is the most vigorous, the intellectual activity is the best, and the attention is the most concentrated. Content, using the method of concentrated learning and memory.

The best period of intellectual activity is different for some people, some people are in the morning, some people are in the afternoon, and some people are in the evening.When studying, the most important and critical memorization materials should be arranged in the best brain time every day to ensure high-speed, high-efficiency, and high-quality learning, and it is relatively easy and easy to obtain clear and complete To improve the memory effect, use the concentrated memory method at this time.Put the learning content that you are more interested in and more scattered and easy to complete during the time when you are less energetic. At this time, use the scattered memory method.After a person has exhausted a lot of energy, he will have the idea of ​​​​stop working psychologically, and the interesting learning content will stimulate people's enthusiasm for learning.Therefore, every learner must find out the best time and law for his own learning in order to grasp the time scientifically.

Scientific management of time can not only keep you calm and orderly, maintain the stability of learning, but also develop good habits and ensure the effect of memory.

(End of this chapter)