Making Learning Physical

IMPROVE MEMORY BY MAKING IT PHYSICAL

Use your body and your senses to help you build memory	It has been said that "people remember 90 percent of what they do, 75 percent of what they see, and 20 percent of what they hear." (D. Ellis, 1997, Becoming A Master Student, 8th ed.) Learning actively can involve your whole body. You can stand up and talk aloud as you study, using your arms, legs, eyes, ears and voice. Getting your body involved in the study process puts energy into the study process and makes it less boring. Maybe you have already used this strategy when preparing for a speech; however, it can work for learning other materials as well.
Relax	Have you ever been unable to recall information in a test situation but an hour later were able to remember the information with clarity? This may suggest that you were not relaxed during the test. Relaxation allows more blood to flow to the brain and thus allows us to think more clearly. Our brains are alert when we are relaxed and this will enable us to perform more effectively and efficiently.
Use visualization	The more visual you can make the learning process, the easier it will be to recall the information. Be creative and use your imagination. Create mental images that you can associate with the information you are trying to learn.