1. Remember those?
Memory techniques in
the language classroom.
Pete Gibson, DOS

2. Here are 3 random language items taken
from Unit 3 & 4 of Speakout Upper
Intermediate, Student’s Book:
compliment someone
on the edge of
a missed opportunity

3. Memory & language learning:
“Sometimes described as the fifth skill, alongside
listening, speaking, reading and writing, memory
underpins every aspect of successful language
learning.”
Blurb on back of Memory Activities for Language Learning, N Bilbrough, CUP 2011
(underlined words are by P Gibson for emphasis)
Why is there so little research?

4. Perhaps…
…it’s “to do with the focus on ‘communication’ and
process that both characterise Communicative Language
Teaching (CLT) and Task-Based Learning (TBL), respectively,
and tend to discourage overt attention to memorisation.”
and…
“…there is a more general, largely unconscious bias against
memorisation in a society, which, through the internet, has
instant access to infinite information at the touch of a
button.”
Melanie Williams, in her ELT J book review of Memory Activities for Language Learning
N Bilbrough, CUP, 2011

5. Memory techniques to explore in the
language classroom!
• Mnemonics - verbally or visually focused
• ‘Keyword memory technique’ – uses links to L1
• Creating a story
• ‘Finding a place’ / a familiar journey
• Repetition; a review slot in every lesson
(productive retrieval)
• Physicality, including Total Physical Response
(TPR)
• Exploiting & being aware of affective factors

6. Making your lesson materials
more memorable?
Educational psychologists Heath and Heath
(2008) concluded from their research that
the following were crucial:
S implicity
U nexpectedness
C oncreteness
C redibility
E motions
S tories

7. My challenge to you…!
1. Regularly have an explicit focus on memory techniques,
‘little and often’.
2. Encourage experimentation, refection, feedback on these
techniques.
3. Raise awareness of the variety of memory techniques
students can use – they choose what works best for them!
4. Regularly ask your learners ‘How will you remember the
new language items from this activity?’

8. What else will you do to remember to
include memory techniques in the
language classroom?

9. Why not print out the extra self reflection
document that goes with this session – what
conclusions will you come up with?
Memory fact from research: Implications for my classes:
a. Create as many links or associations as possible with the new item.
b. Emotional molecules seem to play an important role as ‘chemical
fixatives’ of memory, hence the importance of emotional engagement
in learning activities. The stronger the emotion, the easier the
subsequent recall (& fear is the best fixer!)
c. If new neural pathways are formed and then used repeatedly, the
initial connections between the neurons become much stronger
d. Etc …

10. Hang on a sec!
Who can remember the 3 items of
language from the start of the
presentation?

11. How did you do?
compliment someone
on the edge of
a missed opportunity

12. And why the spider?!

13. Texts used in my research
• Memory Activities for Language Learning, Nick Bilbrough,
CUP, 2011
• Training Your Brain, Teach Yourself ® Horne/Wootton 2007
• ‘Memory-Friendly Teaching’,
http://eslarticle.com/pub/articles/teaching-methodology/memory-f
• Review by Melanie Williams of Memory Activities for
Language Learning, Nick Bilbrough, for ELT J

14. Remember those?
Memory techniques in
the language classroom.
Pete Gibson, DOS