How to Use Mnemonic Devices for Test Preparation

by Powell

A mnemonic device, or memory device, is any learning technique that aids information retention or retrieval in the human memory for better understanding. 

Alliteration mnemonics occurs when words close to one another begin with the same letter or sound. Ex) Take the first sound of the subject and then pick topics you want to relate- “In Biology you can study bacteria, beasts, beings, and botanicals.”

Song Mnemonics While we learn the songs’ rhythm, quality, pitch and tempo, it is easy for many people to memorize catchy phrases that describe these components.

Examples

The Alphabet Song

Pat-A-Cake Song

Calendar song

Days of the week song

A visual mnemonic is a learning technique used to aid the association of the to-be-memorized information (e.g., forms and meanings) with mediators (e.g., imagery to represent meaning), which are more accessible to provide better retention and retrieval for learners.

Spelling mnemonics.

Spelling mnemonics help us remember the spelling of words.

Simply put, it helps us learn a new thing and remember it through sentences, images etc.

Words with silent letters are tricky to spell, especially if you’re using phonetic spelling methods. For example

Silent-C: Muscle, Scene, Conscious

Silent-K: Knowledge, Knight, Knit

Some of the words contains double letters that can’t be heard when pronounced such as

Double-S: Assumption, Blossom, Processing

Irregular spelling patterns

There are types of words often sound different than they are spelled.

For example:

 Long eShort eLong a
EALeaf, PleadBreadEarth
EIReceivedForeignReindeer
IEAchieved, BelieveFriendly 
AIAidGain, Plain

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