Preparation for SATs Today’s learning objective is: Today’s learning objective is: To enable you to understand how your memory works in order to help you revise for the SATs exams.

Today… You are going to learn how to use your memory. You are going to learn how to use your memory. 70% of what you learn in a day is gone within 24 hours unless you intend to remember and practise it. 70% of what you learn in a day is gone within 24 hours unless you intend to remember and practise it. To improve your memory you need to create associations between things and stronger pathways from your senses to the information that you need to remember. To improve your memory you need to create associations between things and stronger pathways from your senses to the information that you need to remember.

The 3 types of memory Immediate Memory This holds information for a few seconds and passes it to your short term memory. Immediate Memory This holds information for a few seconds and passes it to your short term memory. Short Term (or Working Memory) This can hold about 7 items at a time. If information is not rehearsed immediately or seen in your head, it will be forgotten in 30 seconds. It sifts, rejects and selects information to go into the long term memory. Short Term (or Working Memory) This can hold about 7 items at a time. If information is not rehearsed immediately or seen in your head, it will be forgotten in 30 seconds. It sifts, rejects and selects information to go into the long term memory. Long Term Memory This is the storage system which holds millions of pieces of data. You have several long term memories – including a visual memory for what you see, an auditory memory for what you hear and a motor memory for what you do. Long Term Memory This is the storage system which holds millions of pieces of data. You have several long term memories – including a visual memory for what you see, an auditory memory for what you hear and a motor memory for what you do.

Testing the memory types. What was the last word on the previous slide? What was the last word on the previous slide? What was the last word that you wrote in your book, (without looking!) What was the last word that you wrote in your book, (without looking!) What was the last sound that you heard before you left the house this morning? What was the last sound that you heard before you left the house this morning? What colour is your front door? What colour is your front door? What does your mother look like? What does your mother look like? What is your favourite song at the moment and how does it go? What is your favourite song at the moment and how does it go? How do you brush your teeth? Mime the process. How do you brush your teeth? Mime the process.

How you learn As you know, people learn in different ways. Some of you are: As you know, people learn in different ways. Some of you are: Visual Visual Auditory Auditory Kinaesthetic Kinaesthetic

VAK Do you know how you learn best? Do you know how you learn best?

The visual test… You have 45 seconds to study the following images, you will then have a further 45 seconds to write down as many as you can remember. Good luck!…..

Go!

How many did you get right? ArmchairKettleSwanCheese ArmchairKettleSwanCheese WatermelonFootball bootScissorsDice WatermelonFootball bootScissorsDice SunshineBaby’s bottleTableLion SunshineBaby’s bottleTableLion HeartButterflyTelephoneScales HeartButterflyTelephoneScales ChurchQuestion markDinosaurStapler ChurchQuestion markDinosaurStapler Dog in kennelGuitarPencilFrog Dog in kennelGuitarPencilFrog Theatre masksMoon & starsFlowerBananas Theatre masksMoon & starsFlowerBananas What could you do to improve how you remember things? What could you do to improve how you remember things?

Some ways of remembering… Link items together to form a story. The more bizarre the story, the better chance you have of remembering it! For example, “Once upon a time there was a SWAN who lived in a CHURCH and ate nothing but BANANAS and CHEESE. He liked to play a PINK GUITAR to his friend THE LION who lived on the MOON. Link items together to form a story. The more bizarre the story, the better chance you have of remembering it! For example, “Once upon a time there was a SWAN who lived in a CHURCH and ate nothing but BANANAS and CHEESE. He liked to play a PINK GUITAR to his friend THE LION who lived on the MOON.

Some ways of remembering… If you are a kinaesthetic learner you could remember items as a journey. E.g. I left B block and met a LION who was eating a BANANA. When I got to A block there was a PINK GUITAR hanging in the doorway. I sped past the BIG GREEN ARMCHAIR and climbed the stairs to A12, nearly hitting the SUN and MOON. If you are a kinaesthetic learner you could remember items as a journey. E.g. I left B block and met a LION who was eating a BANANA. When I got to A block there was a PINK GUITAR hanging in the doorway. I sped past the BIG GREEN ARMCHAIR and climbed the stairs to A12, nearly hitting the SUN and MOON.

Some ways of remembering… Imagine that you are holding items/information all over your body. Imagine that you are holding items/information all over your body.

Some ways of remembering… Sort items into categories. E.g. Sort items into categories. E.g. AnimalsFood & Drink LionBananas SwanTea Butterfly Watermelon FrogCheese Dinosaur

Some ways of remembering… Use mnemonics. This is when you make a word or phrase out of things that you have to remember: e.g Use mnemonics. This is when you make a word or phrase out of things that you have to remember: e.g Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain

Some ways of remembering… Use mind maps!! The best way to remember and set out lots of information is by drawing it! Make your map colourful and bold and stick it somewhere you will see it a lot. (The back of the toilet door is a good place!) Use mind maps!! The best way to remember and set out lots of information is by drawing it! Make your map colourful and bold and stick it somewhere you will see it a lot. (The back of the toilet door is a good place!)

So now… We need to think of some topics that you need to revise for the SATs. E.g. the plot of Macbeth or the writing triplets. We need to think of some topics that you need to revise for the SATs. E.g. the plot of Macbeth or the writing triplets.

In your groups… Use the pens and A3 paper to begin revising a topic. Use mind maps, acronyms, stories, journeys etc. Use the pens and A3 paper to begin revising a topic. Use mind maps, acronyms, stories, journeys etc. Make them colourful and bold. Make them colourful and bold. There will be logbook stickers for the best groups’ work! There will be logbook stickers for the best groups’ work! Go! Go!

To sum up and REALLY test your memory… How may different types of memory are there? How may different types of memory are there? Can you name them? Can you name them? How many different ways of remembering can you remember? How many different ways of remembering can you remember?