A fond memory I have is listening to Grandma quote poems around the fireplace. As a child, I firmly believed she knew everyone and everything. She was always learning and memorizing, and she loved when we would recite to her our newest poetry piece, Bible verse, or play a song on the old family piano.

In this age of being able to have information in a moment’s time, we have lost the art of memorizing. The value has been seriously overlooked, and many learners have suffered as a result. And unfortunately, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it!

In this article I would like to encourage you, as an instructor, to have some form of memorization going on every day. Why? Memorization is a critical learning technique that builds lifelong mental abilities. It trains the brain to retain more information, focus, and work with better agility and speed. We used a curriculum that encouraged this and at the end of the year it was amazing how much my students could recite. Here is an example of some things we would memorize and recite throughout the year:

  • Scripture passages. You can start with reciting and singing the books of the Bible in order – All 66! Psalms 23, Psalms 100 are lovely passages to memorize, and you can work up to full chapters! It was a rewarding day when my class could recite from memory Hebrews 11:1-41 the “Hall of Faith” chapter. “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.” II Timothy 3:15
  • Poetry. Memorizing poetry is an investment in your child’s future ability to communicate and can help students gain confidence by delving deeper into language. We internalize a voice that may comfort or inspire us in the future. If you don’t know where to start, find a good children’s poem book or pick a poem from a literature book.
  • Significant facts or statements. These can include historical documents, speeches, states and capitals, presidents, and more. We loved to sing, so learning some of these facts was easy and fun when listening to music!
  • Dramatic skits or performances. Foreign language pieces, plays, and dialogs can be a way to add some performance training along with memorizing. Nursing homes, churches, family gatherings, and co-op programs make for the perfect place to share your recitations.

It is well known that children are sponges when it comes to learning. While they are young, let’s maximize the opportunity to store as much as possible in their memory banks to better enrich their lives and communication skills! ~ Amber