Executive Functions: The Use of Mnemonic Devices

Why is it so hard to remember important dates in history, but we can remember thousands of lyrics to songs? Mnemonic devices such as rhymes, songs, and acronyms help us to remember information. Mnemonic devices are little phrase or rhymes used as a memory tool. These devices can be used by students of all ages and all levels of study (Mastropieri, 1998).

I still remember the song that helped me to memorize the fifty states in the United States and the acronyms used to remember the order of operations and the colors that make up the rainbow.

Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

Parenthesis, Exponents, Multiplication, Division and Subtraction

ROY G BIV

Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet

There are many other mnemonic devices that help children and adults memorize information. Some of the other mnemonic devices are for the Great Lakes, Planets and Months of the year. As a child I remember thinking that these devices were the best! I struggled with memorizing information, however when I could think of fun sayings to help, it made it that much easier to remember them.

    

Mnemonic Devices and Executive Functions:

For children with executive function disorders, memorizing can be a difficult task for them. The instructional tool of mnemonic devices is exactly what these students need. They need assistance with memory, more specific working memory. Executive Function is a term used to describe a set of mental processes that helps us connect past experience with present action. We use executive function when we perform such activities as planning, organizing, strategizing and paying attention to and remembering details (NCLD, 2005) People with executive function problems have difficulty with planning, organizing and managing time and space. They also show weakness with “working memory” (or “seeing in your mind’s eye”), which is an important tool in guiding one’s actions (NCLD, 2005) Mneomic devices help students make connection to learning that stick in your brain. They also help make learning more personal. Students can come up with their own acronyms to remember topics or used ones that are already made.

What I think about mnemonic devices (both the positives and negatives)…

I have had wonderful experience with using mnemonic devices with my students in my class. To often we forget that we give them a lot of information to take in and comprehend. It is important to give mnemonic devices to children to help them remember information. We use mnemonic devices in math as memory tools. I tell my students that these tools are used to help you remember the steps of problems, but can’t always help you solve the problem. For example, we use a mnemonic device for long division.

 Does Mcdonalds Sell CheeseBurgers Raw

 Divide, Multiple, Subtract, Check, Bring down and Repeat/Remainder.

My students are very good at long division because they can remember the steps, however some students still struggle on solving long division problems because of their knowledge of multiplication and division.

As great as mnemonic devices are we should not rely on mnemonic devices for every topic and every skill we are teaching. Mnemonic devices take time to create and learn. I also feel that sometimes mnemonic devices just help student memorize information and them do not allow students to become critical thinkers. It is important to use these devices when necessary and to not over use them so our students can become critical thinkers.

It is also important to remember that that mnemonic devices are skills that children and adults remember for a life time and that they are wonderful ways to remember information and organize information. Students love using them and should be taught the effective way to use them. I know as a kid I loved when my teacher taught me a mnemonic device. I have used them quite often and have passed them onto my own students!

Helpful Websites:

Mnemonics

Mnemonic Dictionary

Mnemonic Device.com

References

Mastropieri, M., & Scruggs, T. (1998). Enhancing school success with mnemonic strategies. Intervention in School and Clinic, 33, 201-208.

Meltzer, L. (2007). Executive Function in Education: From Theory to Practice.New York: Guilford Press.

NCLD, 2005. Executive Function Fact Sheet. Retrevied April 28, 2012 from http://www.ldonline.org/article/24880/.

Reading Comprehension: The Importance of Activating Prior Knowledge

“Teaching children which thinking strategies are used by proficient readers and

helping them use those strategies independently creates the core of teaching reading.”

What is reading comprehension?

It is defined as the process of readers interacting and constructing meaning from text, implementing the use of prior knowledge, and the information from in text (Pardo, 2004).

What are some reading comprehension strategies?

*Activation of Prior Knowledge

*Teacher Read-Alouds

*Scaffolded Retelling

*Vocabulary Instruction

*Comprehension Checklists

*Sustained Silent Reading/Self Selected Reading

Why is reading comprehension so important?

Reading comprehension is crucial to young readers. It is important that students are taught the importance of getting meaning from reading (Ekwall, 1992). It is also essential that they understand that the reading process is more than just decoding words on a page. It is about taking those words and making meaning of them. Today it is known that skillful readers use prior knowledge, make connections, visualize, infer, ask questions, determine importance, and synthesize the materials that they read (Grimes, 2004).

When teachers are teaching reading strategies it is important that their instruction is explicit, modeled by skillful readers, and scaffolded by teachers until students are able to successfully use the strategies independently. “At-risk” or “struggling” readers should be included in the teachings of these strategies. They may need to receive extra instructional reading time or skills repeated to them.

Important Reading Comprehension Strategy: Activating Prior Knowledge

One strategy that helps students understand what they are reading is activating their prior knowledge. Prior knowledge is infromation students already know. When skillful readers use their schema, their known information is integrated with their new information through a series of connections (Pardo, 2004). Activation of prior knowledge makes up a great amount of the process of reading comprehension. As teachers, it is important to activate as much prior knowledge as possible prior to reading the text as well as allowing students to apply the prior knowledge use while reading (Pardo, 2004). They also need to teach how to decipher useful background knowledge from other background knowledge (Raphael, 2004). Strategies to effectively activate prior knowledge include: brain storming, predicting, pre-reading questioning, and topic talking (Brooks, 1997). Picture walks before read-alouds, guided and independent reading are also effective (Cunningham, 2006). Reading aloud, thinking aloud, along with teacher modeling activating schema, and making connections enables readers to apply this information while they read (Pardo, 2004).The students will be able to use prior knowledge to help comprehend text and solve problems across the curriculum if taught correctly.

My Thoughts on Activating Prior Knowledge…

As a fourth grade teacher I have witnessed firsthand the importance of teaching reading comprehension strategies. I think it is important to activate prior knowledge before each selection you read in your classroom as well as during and after reading. Before my students read any type of selection, we always discuss what students already know about the topic. This does take time out of reading, but in the long run it pays off and the children really understand the selection better. This strategy also helps them to make connections. We make KWL charts to help organize this information as well as other types of organizers.

I have noticed a few things however when activating prior knowledge. One of those being that the knowledge a student knows about a topic is not always correct. It is important to correct children’s prior knowledge if it is not correct so that they are applying true information to their reading. The second thing is sometimes they do not know much about a topic and it is important to take time to teach background knowledge.

Firsthand experience with Activating Prior Knowledge…

We just finished reading a few novels in our classroom. One novel being, Riding Freedom by Pam Munoz Ryan. For those of you who have never heard of this book or read it, your class will LOVE it! This novel takes place during the mid-1800s. At first most of my students seemed disappointed in the book choice due to the period in time it took place and the cover. We spent two days talking about what life was like in the mid-1800s and what the country looked like at this time. My students knew a little about that time period and brought great information to our classroom KWL chart. They were also shocked at the differences from the mid-1800s to now and the rights that women had/didnt have. After reading the first few pages my students were hooked! Throughout the book we stopped and made connections. They were given several opportunities to show they comprehended what they were reading, however students were always connecting back to their prior knowledge. I believe this is a key skill that children, struggling to read and not struggling to read need to develop to aquire good reading comprehension skills.

A helpful graphic oraganizer that can be used for activating prior knowledge:

KWL Chart

Great Websites and Videos for teaching prior knowledge:

Into the Book (videos)

Activating Prior Knowledge

Into the Book- Teaching Tips

Reading Strategy Posters

References

Brooks, Michelle; Hamann, Louise and Vetter, Mary. “Improving Reading Comprehension and Vocabulary Development in At-Risk Students” Master’s Action Research Project, Saint Xavier University. May, 1997.

Ekwall, Eldon E. & James L. Shanker. Locating and Correcting Reading Difficulties. New York, New York: Merrill. 1992.

Pardo, Laura S. “What Every Teacher Needs to KnowAbout Comprehension” in The Reading Teacher.  Nov.2004. pages 272-281.

Raphael, Taffy; Florio-Ruane, Susan; George, MariAnne;Levorn Hasty, Nina; and Highfield, Kathy. Book Club Plus!: A Literacy Framework for the Primary Grades. Lawrence, Massachusetts: Small Planet. 2004.

A Hands on Math Strategy for Struggling Learners

 Has this ever happen to you?

My stomach hurts! Can I go to the nurse? I don’t feel good! Can I use the bathroom? These complaints are usually stated to me around 11:15, or, in a more relevant time description, at math time. To paint a better picture, I once had a student stay in the bathroom for quite some time before he came back to the classroom. After this occurred, I took him aside to make sure everything was okay and received an explanation I was not expecting. He told me he uses the bathroom at math time because he doesn’t like math and spending time in the bathroom was easier than doing math work. This got me thinking… why do students have such anxiety over math or feel they cannot do it? I always enjoyed math and found it easy. Numbers made sense to me. After this day, I was on a mission to understand my students better.

I asked my class the next day their feelings on math. Some students responded that it was hard and numbers weren’t their thing. Others said that math didn’t make sense to them. We talked about math and how it can be challenging, but you have to give it a fair chance and your best effort. From this day on I understood my students and, better yet, understood the approach I needed to take to teach them effectively and to decrease their anxiety. I figured out that it’s all about the way you approach math.

One of many great strategies to help all math learners is the use of manipulatives in the classroom. Manipulatives are proving to be effective tools for teaching certain math concepts to all students and frequently used during math instruction in classrooms all over (Berkas & Pattison, 2007). Since 1940 to the present day, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM) has encouraged all grade levels to use manipulatives in daily math instruction. Many students are hands-on learners and need to manipulate objects in order to understand something. By using their hands they really get to see and work with the concepts being taught (Kautzman, 2011).  Math is full of concrete and abstract levels and the use of manipulatives help students move from a concrete level to abstract levels of learning. They are also beneficial for students who have been diagnosed with a learning disability. Manipulatives provide additional reinforcement of basic math skills and enables students to complete math problems independently and with less anxiety (Schreiner, 2010).

There are many types of manipulatives, some that cost hardly anything and can be found at your local craft or grocery store. These include attribute blocks, geometric shapes of different colors and sizes that may be used in classification or patterning tasks; plastic counting cubes for solving simple addition and subtraction equations; base ten blocks for representing and performing operations on multidigit numbers, such as 321 + 104; and fraction pieces, which can be used to represent different fractional concepts and relationships (Spear-Swerling, 2006). Other simple manipulatives are counting beans, popsicle sticks and buttons. These are simple items that make math much easier for students and most authorites would agree that manipulatives play a helpful role in teaching math, especially in the teaching of concepts.

Manipulatives can be made from anything and everything. They can be store bought and homemade. The pictures above show you a few types of manipulatives that are commonly used in the classroom.

Helpful Links:

Ideas for Making Math Manipulatives

Printable Math Manipulatives

7 Musts for Using Manipulatives

I agree with the research showing the effectiveness of manipulatives in the classroom during math. I have noticed in the past few years I have spent in education that a majority of students learn best from hands-on experiences. The use of manipulatives allows students to learn effectively and helps them to become more independent with math as well.  I believe with every strategy and method there are negatives.  Manipulatives are used to make children’s learning of math concepts easier, however, if children are not shown the correct way to use the manipulatives or confused with what the manipulative is representing, then there will be issues greater than not understanding a concept. I believe it is important to use manipulatives, but it is vital to teach children the meaning and how to use them as well.

Do I use manipulatives in my classroom? Absolutely! As mentioned above, I have a lot of students who struggle in math. None of my students are identified with learning disabilities, but still have anxiety when it comes to math and understanding concrete and abstract concepts. In fourth grade we learn everything from addition and subtraction to multiplication and division to graphing and fractions. I learned quickly that my students learn more effectively with hands-on experiences. Lecturing them or having them watch me demonstrate is not effective for them, however, giving them hands-on tools seemed to stop the trips to the nurse and bathroom as well as improve their math abilities!

This little boy is working with different types of manipulatives to construct patterns.

This little girl is using Cuisenaire Rods, also referred to as math bars, which are colored number rods used to teach mathematical concepts in an interactive, hands-on manner. Each colored bar represents a number.

It is important to remember that you are not going to be able to “fix the problem” for any given child. What you can do is educate yourself in ways to draw on that child’s strengths to help him or her compensate for their weaknesses.

References

Berkas, N. & Pattison, C. (2007). Manipulatives: more than a special education intervention. National Council of Teacher of Mathematics.

 

Kautzman, K. (March 10, 2011). Math intervention strategies: Suggestions for struggling learners. Bright Hub Education, Retrieved from

http://www.brighthubeducation.com/teaching-elementary-school/89697-math-intervention-strategies-for-struggling-learners

 

Schreiner, E. (2010). How to use manipulatives to teach math to LD students. Retrieved from

http://www.ehow.com/print/how_5991197_use-teach-math-ld-student.html

 

Spear-Swerling, L. (March, 2006). The use of manipulatives in mathematics instruction. LD Online, Retrieved from

http://www.ldonline.org/spearswerling/The_Use_of_Manipulatives_in_Mathematics_Instruction

 

 

All About Me!

Hello, my name is Lisa! I am originally from a small town in southern Connecticut.  Eight years ago, I made one of the best choices of my life and decided to go to Keene State College to pursue my passion for teaching. I graduated with a degree in Elementary Education and Developmental Psychology. I believe you should never stop learning new things and decided to continue my education at Rivier College pursuing a Masters in Learning Disabilities and Reading with General Special Education. I am currently a fourth grade teacher in the Derry Cooperative School District. This is my second year as a classroom teacher; however I have worked in the education field for four years! I have enjoyed every opportunity that I have had working with children and look forward to many more wonderful experiences. In my free time I enjoy hanging out with friends and family, traveling around the country and hopefully one day the world, and spending time with my cat, Nala!