Brain function principles applied to learning techniques.

Every brain is structured in the same way. However, it seems that some people are naturally more capable to memorize numbers and stories better than others. Often unconsciously, they have developed a system to hone their memory skills. Basic principles and continuous and consequent application can increase the receptiveness and learning aptitude of the mind.   

 

Many people already use such memory aiding techniques, called mnemotechnics or mnemonics (from the Greek mneme = memory). For example when spelling arithmetic: A Rat In The House May Eat The Ice Cream.   

But we don’t just want to learn isolated tricks, but rather different techniques. These skills will enable us to develop personal learning strategies. There are different techniques such as pictures, rhymes, acronyms, acrostics, codes, jokes or stories, we can apply.   

Three principles can be particularly helpful when applied to a learning technique; these are:   

1. Visualization

2. Association

3. Intelligent repetition

1. Visualization

Visualization, or pictorial imagination, is what we have done since birth. It can be described as the ability to draw mental pictures. Most adults have unlearned this, since they were told as children: “look at me when I am talking to you!” such demands gradually destroy the ability to visualize. Luckily this can be re-learned easily.

2. Association

Associations refer to connecting elements together. We have to construct an image of two elements and then connect those images together. For example: guitar and train. Here we could picture a train which is running on tracks that are made up of a row of guitars. Then we can link the image of the train to a further element and build a story line. It is easier to remember these stories when the associations are lively and colorful, even absurd and drastic. We remember this better than something ‘ordinary’.

3. Intelligent Repetition

Repetition of isolated facts, the way it has been exercised in school, is ineffective. Intelligent repetition refers to the association of visual images and construction of picture stories. These images and picture stories are retained in our memory. At this point I would like to introduce two techniques that are easily mastered and might provide a ‘jump start’ for you to engage further in the topic: symbolic association and location association

Tomatis Method

Dr. Alfred Tomatis and Audio-Psycho-Phonology (APP).

Dr Alfred Tomatis was born on January 1st, 1920 in Nice, France and he died on December 5th, 2001. Dr Tomatis laid the foundation for a new multidisciplinary science called Audio-Psycho-Phonology (APP). This methodology illustrates why “the way we listen” is fundamentally related to most aspects of how we live.

In the early fifties, Tomatis also discovered that deficiencies in listening perception were the source of many learning difficulties. Tomatis developed a highly effective method to treat this.

Tomatis attempts to understand the unique characteristics of each patient. The listening therapy – involving frequencies and sounds – is a gentle, individually designed, form of treatment that respects the natural laws of hearing. This leads to a very gentle and natural healing process.


The Tomatis method can be compared to the traditional Chinese healing method of acupuncture. Only 30 years ago it was frowned upon by orthodox medicine as ineffective charlatanry. However, due to its success, the method has become more and more recognized and respected – even though there is no scientific evidence for its effects. Is it not common practice science to question the logic behind a theory?

If you want to learn more about the positive effects that the author Hans-Peter Becker witnessed at his own daughter who used the Tomatis Method read "Unleash the Secret of Education and learn how to raise a happy child".

Learning in Everyday Life

Parents and teachers tell children to “Concentrate!” all the time. But who explains to them what this actually means? How is this done?

The term concentration, or to concentrate, originally comes from the Latin origin “concentrare”, (com- „together“ + centrum „center“) and meant „to bring or come to a common center“. In other words a sense of „mental focus“, for example when children concentrate on playing a game. 

This (intrinsically natural) activity only becomes strenuous when the object that we are supposed to concentrate on, is considered uninteresting. The brain becomes bored and begins searching for other stimulation. Thoughts begin to wander and concentration decreases.   

However, in order to learn new things concentration is less important than attention. To achieve attention a person is fascinated by something and wants to learn from it.  
Concentration refers to ‘aggregation’, meaning that focus is drawn to one center. 
Perception of the outside world becomes limited. 
Learning also requires a degree of attention. This presumes the student has a keen interest on the material that is to be learned. 
On the other hand, concentration is essential for practicing and repetition of detailed sequences.   
Learning processes depend on both concentration and attention. Therefore, children should be given enough time to complete a task and thus, learn to concentrate.
   
As parents, you will be familiar with the following situation: all of a sudden the house becomes silent, the child doesn’t make a sound. When you find the child, he or she is playing and being completely immersed in the activity.   

Unfortunately, we are often just relieved that they didn’t get into mischief (a paradigm of parents that equals a learning process for the child). We start talking to the child and thereby distract it from the activity and disturb its concentration. Or we start screaming across the hallway to the child in their room, until they reply. After this exchange, the child may leave the room because the learning process has been interrupted. If this or similar disruptions occur frequently, a child cannot learn to pay full attention on an activity and to work with focus. The child misses out on intensive learning experiences. 

These opportunities would provide a general sense of independence and self-reliance. Later in life the child might be labeled as nervous or hyperactive.