Remembering and forgetting

1. Remembering and Forgetting
Dr.M.Deivam
Assistant Professor
Department of Education
The Gandhigra Rural Institute (Deemed to be University)
Gandhigram, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu

2. Memory
• A layman may define memory simply as the
capacity to reproduce what is learnt. Psychologically
it is much more complex. Psychologists prefer the
word ‘remembering’ to ‘memory’. Remembering is
an active process of mental search. Remembering
refers to retention of what is learnt and retrieving it.
When it is required for subsequent use.

3. STM and LTM
• Short term memory, also called primary or
working memory, lasts for 15 to 30 seconds. We
remember a telephone number till we get the
connection to that number.
• Multiplication tables we have learnt, the poem
we have memorised, date of birth, wedding day,
residential address etc. are permanently
remembered because of our long term memory.

4. Sign of Good Memory
• Rapidity : One is said to have good memory, if
he could recollect his past experiences very
quickly.
• Accuracy: If one could bring back the learned
materials without any distortion, he is said to
have good memory.
• Length of Time: How long one could retain the
learned materials in memory before retrieving
them is also taken as a measure of good
memory.

5. Contd.,
• Promptness of retrieval: If one is able to bring
back the learned materials instantly with ease
without requiring any help, he is said to have
good memory.
• Serviceableness: This refers to the recall of right
thing at the right place. If a candidate is not able
to tell the correct answer at the time of interview,
what will be of use if he could recollect the
correct answer after coming out of the interview?

6. Forgetting
• When we are not able to remember a lesson
learnt or an event experienced, we say it is due to
forgetting. Our inability to recall the learned
materials, when we need it most is called
forgetting. Most of us are plagued at one time or
another with failing memory. We forget because
what we have learnt is not retained in our
memory. Thus ‘remembering’ and ‘forgetting’ are
the two sides of the same coin. We remember
what we have not forgotten and what we forgot,
we do not remember.

7. Techniques of promoting better
member
• The capacity to retain cannot be improved by
any intrinsic manner. All that can be e done is
to improve the method of memorizing. A good
memory depends upon a good brain. We
should try to keep metabolism of the brain is
their good condition our diet should contain
calcium and phosphorus-rich products some
tips to improve memory through better
memorizing techniques for given below

8. • Have the desire or motivation to learn,
whatever is learnt.
• Meaningful materials is learnt quickly
and retained longer.
• Follow SQ3R method while learning
(Survey, questioning, recite, repeat and
review)
• Spacing the learning period
appropriately will help effective
learning.

10. • Recitation during the course of
learning helps self-evaluation. This is
very useful in memorizing, particularly
in children.
• Over-learning (learning beyond the
point of forgetting) aids retention.
• Rhymes and logical associations
between different parts of the material
help remembering.

11. • Mnemonic devices (artificial associations
like abbreviations) are useful in learning
when no inherent organisation or
association could be seen in the material.
For example to remember the colours in a
rainbow in the order, we use the artificial
word VIBGYOR.
• Multisensory learning is more effectively
remembered (T.V advertisements are
remembered better than those of Radio)

12. • Periodical rest and sleep immediately after
learning improve retention by helping
consolidation of memory traces. Subjects which
interfere with each other should not be learnt in
succession.
• Subject of study should be so arranged to avoid
interferences like pro-active and retro-active
inhibitions (e.g. After learning mathematics
study a language like Tamil or English; followed
by the study of science, then learn social studies
or any other light subject).

13. Contd.,
• As suggested by Mandler and Herbart,
teachers should plan the instruction such
that information is provided in organized
manner (i.e grouping them in suitable clusters
or categories). In this connection Ausubel also
talks about ‘advanced organisers’. Learning
through concept maps is an attempt under
this principle of organisation.

14. Thank You