Repeat, repeat, and repeat again: repetition is the cornerstone to rote learning, whether your toddler reads the material out loud or writes it down several times. While there are several forms of learning and grasping a set of information, a lot of students still rely on this technique of learning for memorization and absorbing knowledge.
Although educators all over the world have their own mixed opinions about this form of learning, it is still said to be beneficial in the way in which it helps learners recall more information and retain it for a longer time.
Hence, in this post, we will be discussing some everyday examples where this form of learning is used. This can help your kid ace rote learning like no other.
Rote learning: What does the study point out?
Rote learning has been observed to alter the anatomy of the brain[1]. As a result, we can remember more information overall and often retain it for life by performing rote learning tasks. Researchers have also discovered that having a weak short-term memory might make learning reading and math topics challenging. Learning knowledge via rote allows the short-term (or functioning) remembrance to focus on other regions. If this practice is inculcated from the very start, it can be a game changer for your kid!
The practice of memorizing specific new items when they are encountered is known as rote learning. The basic concept is straightforward to implement: if fresh and beneficial information is discovered, it is saved for future use.
To prep up for the future world with hands-on real-world scenarios, wanting to participate in higher-level thinking requires rote learning! Yes. It is that crucial. Can you handle tables, spelling, or even basic mathematics if you have to continually recall how to multiply or try looking up references? That procedure would take an eternity to complete. Your kids are unlikely to have their “ah-ha” moments or breakthroughs through the process. And Even though rote learning methods alone do not guarantee comprehensive and holistic learning, they do enable students to swiftly recall key facts and laws and acquire a core understanding of a subject.
Moreover, in a scientific breakthrough[2], it was seen that prolonged rote learning produced delayed memory facilitation and metabolic changes in the aging of the human brain.
Everyday rote learning examples for kids
There are numerous rote learning strategies and examples available, and they all demand effort and patience in repetition. The longer you repeat, the simpler it will be to remember. Even though you only have a couple of hours to recall something, rote learning can help you a lot.
1. Learning Spellings
While spellings are best learned when a student understands the phonological sound, however, rote learning is a trusted way for a child to form a strong association between characters and their sounds. A lot of teachers and students rely on rote learning to grasp challenging spellings, and eventually make fewer mistakes.
2. Learning Rhymes
While each rhyme and song have meaning and context behind it, learning them can be easy with rote learning. A lot of individuals including kids and teachers rely on this form of learning to learn rhymes and eventually sing them in one breath. Oftentimes we see parents and educators ask students to read or repeat the rhyme plenty of times so that they are able to memorize it in a way that it comes out altogether. This is one classic example of rote learning.
3. Puzzle strategies
While puzzles can be a great brain exercise, having tons of advantages for little budding learners. At the same time, a lot of these students use rote learning to grasp the strategies to solve a puzzle. Knowing exactly where which puzzle piece would come from is all due to repeatedly memorizing the entire puzzle and its pieces.
4. Facts, facts, and more facts!
When it comes to facts, though they might be short sentences, they consist of extremely valuable information. Hence, remembering the figures and the key details of the facts can be possible through rote learning. At the same time, these facts can be presented well when the student repeatedly learns and memorizes them for effective retention.
5. Multiplication tables
While math is one subject that is based entirely on logic, and this subject can be comprehended well only when there is a certain understanding of the concepts being taught. However, when it comes to multiplication tables, learning these tables by heart and then recalling them often doesn’t give the learners a chance to apply logic in just a jiggy. Hence, learners often use rote learning to memorize these tables to that they can recall them quickly when needed.
6. Test Cramming
When students study for a test, they often use test cramming, which is an effective method to retain and recall information. Test cramming is especially done when students need to retain information that is otherwise challenging to retain. To do so, they generally read the concept multiple times, and keep repeating them so that they can learn as per a routine.
7. Periodic table
Just like the multiplication table, the chemistry periodic table is often quite difficult to learn, and hence, students largely depend on rote learning for the same. Learning which element appears where on the table can be effectively learned through this method of learning.
8. Various numbers
Do you know how easily you can recall a phone number, social security number, or any other multi-digit number? Well, it’s only because of rote learning that you keep repeating and learning the number, and eventually learn it by heart. Whenever there is an important number to remember, we often rely on the practice of rote learning, as there can be no logic to how otherwise remember the number. Therefore, learning the sequence of multi-digit numbers is a classic example of rote learning.
9. Memorize daily use items, like grocery lists
Have you ever gone shopping with a list of 10 items in your mind, and ended up remembering and getting all the 10 as per the list you made? Well, it is all possible due to the magic of rote learning that helps you remember the list of grocery items or daily use things that you needed to purchase off the shelves. Individuals use the practice of rote learning on a daily basis whenever they are out shopping, and purchasing some household items.
10. Address
An address can often be a piece of challenging information to remember or recall. Hence, whenever we are given an address to remember, we see it, repeat it and memorize it multiple times using rote memory so that we can retain it and remember it well. Hence, to remember addresses and sequences of anything related, rote memory is avidly used.
Summing up,
Rote learning is an important aspect of our education. Rote learning combines repetition, drilling, memorization, and proper practice at regular intervals. It is a powerful motivator for acquiring basic facts in the beginning stages of learning. In addition, it enhances our self-esteem and inspires us to study new things. During the initial stages of learning, a kid learns many new things, such as rhymes, days, months, fundamental spellings, tables, counting, basic facts, and several useful statements in everyday life.
Parents and teachers encourage the child to practice multiple times. It evolves into an active learning habit. Through repetition, drilling, and memorization, we gradually develop the habit of learning new information.
References
- Radiological Society of North America. “Rote Learning Improves Memory In Seniors.” ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 29 November 2006. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/11/061128084444.htm>
- Roche, R.A., Mullally, S.L., McNulty, J.P. et al. Prolonged rote learning produces delayed memory facilitation and metabolic changes in the hippocampus of the aging human brain. BMC Neurosci 10, 136 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-10-136
I am Shweta Sharma. I am a final year Masters student of Clinical Psychology and have been working closely in the field of psycho-education and child development. I have served in various organisations and NGOs with the purpose of helping children with disabilities learn and adapt better to both, academic and social challenges. I am keen on writing about learning difficulties, the science behind them and potential strategies to deal with them. My areas of expertise include putting forward the cognitive and behavioural aspects of disabilities for better awareness, as well as efficient intervention. Follow me on LinkedIn