Hello this is minute english from BBC Learning English. I’m Georgina.
And I’m Rob.
Do you have good memory Rob? Can you remember people’s name or where you left your car keys?
Well, I can remember people’s faces, but I have a terrible memory for names. And sometimes I’ll be eagerly reading a book, but then a bit later, I can’t remember a single thing about it.
Well, you are not alone. Many people find to hard to remember things they read or learn, well some other times useless information stick with them.
Hmm, in this program we will be finding out why we forget the things we learned. Whether that’s someone’s name or word in English or where you put your wallet.
But first let me ask you my quiz questions first Rob. Before I forget you and I might struggle to remember someone’s phone number, but Chinese student Chaa Luu has record breaking a memory. In 2005 she recited the numbers of pie the mathematical equation describing the proportion of circle, but how many digits did she manage to remember. Was it a) 48000 b) 68000 or c) 88000
Wow, it sound like Chaa Luu has an incredible memory. I’ll say she remembered b)68000 digits of pie.
Okay Rob let’s find out the answer at the end of the program.
Okay we’ll do. Now someone like Chaa Luu might have a photographic memory, the ability to remember things in exact detail. Like looking a photograph. But for the rest of us things are more complicated.
Doctor Garet Howard is an educational neuron scientist at the University of Melbourn. According to him there are two rules which explain how we remember information.
Listen to Doctor Howard talking to the BBC Service Program “The why factor” and see you can hear a two rules he mentions.
Rule number one is repetition is key. The odds of remembering something after one of are incredibly slim. Unless you can immediately link it to something you already understand, so my middle name is Cuney, if I ever met someone’s name Cuney, I’ll never forget that. Cause I have a immediate link. But if met someone name Joe, So one of is all we pretty much suck at it. Unless we focus. So rule two then becomes we remember what we focus on.
The first rule of remembering is a repetition. The odds meaning the probability of remembering something are low, if you learn it as a one off. Something that only happens once.
Doctor Howard’s second rule is about a focus. We remember what we focus on. This involves making links between new information something you already understand.
These are the most effective methods of remembering. And most of us suck at or bad at, other ways remembering things.
Now of course one group of who need good memory is students. Do you remember cramming first school exams Georgina?
Oh, yes staying up late, training to revise everything the night before an exam. I remember doing that, but it work.
Yes, Doctor Howard’s research found a student who cram for tests forget around 90% what they studied within 72 hours.
He thinks education shouldn’t be about trying to cram students head with facts and figures. It should involve something more meaningful. As he explains to BBC World Services “The why factor”.
And a thing that I like about education is really moving from a model of just memorizes as much as you can. Into what we now calling deep learning. Which is Instead of giving you hundreds of things, I just need to know that you can remember them. I’m going to give 10 things and instead of just being able to remember them I want you to be able to describe it deeply and come up with new ways of looking at it.
Traditionally education involves memorizing. Learning information exactly as it is. So you can repeat it later.
But being able to repeat something like a parrot doesn’t always mean you understand it. Doctor Howard advocates a technique called a deep learning. A complete way of learning something that means you fully understand and won’t forget.
So remember. Repetition, focus and deep learning are the memory muscles we need. Maybe that’s how Chinese student Caa Luu developed her record breaking memory. You do remember your quiz question don’t you Georgina?
Yes thank you Rob. My memory isn’t that bad. I asked how many digits of mathematical equation pie she could remember.
And I said B) 68000.
Which was the correct answer. Actually the number was so long, it took her 24 hours without a brake to recite at all.
Oh wow, her brain must to be aching after all that. Okay let’s recap the vocabulary from this program. Starting from photographic memory, which the ability remember things and exact detail. Like looking at a photograph.
The odds of something happening mean the chances that it wil happen.
A one of is something that only happens once.
To suck at something is an informal way to say “be bad at doing something. It’s more common in American English.
If you memorize something you learn it exactly, so you can repeat it later.
And finally, deep learning describes a complete way of learning something that you fully understand it and won’t forget it.
Okay that’s all from us. But don’t forget to join us again soon for more trending topics and top tips to help you remember useful and everyday English vocabulary. Bye for now.
