Cicero's technique - we effectively remember information. Cicero's method: memorizing large amounts of information Cicero's method memorization

To successfully prepare for the session. But we decided not to stop there and introduce you to at least four more effective methods for quickly memorizing text or any other information. Read, think, choose the right one.

All of the following methods are based on repeated reading. But this is not about unsystematic and thoughtless reading, but about deep work on the text.

Assimilation of the text in 4 repetitions: the OVOD method

The name consists of the first letters of the names of the main stages of memorizing the text:

1. ABOUT main thought. The text is read for meaningful perception and highlighting the main thoughts, establishing relationships between them. You don't have to take everything in the text. If necessary, the main information is underlined or written out on a separate sheet.
2. IN considerate reading. The second reading is distinguished by increased attentiveness and thoughtfulness, you should pay attention to small details, details. The text is read slowly. The main task of this stage is to mentally link the details to the main thoughts. At the end of the stage, you should try to remember the main thoughts and the details already attached to them.
3. ABOUT review. The text is skimmed through quickly, without in-depth reading. Viewing starts from the end. The reader mentally asks himself questions on the main points, tries to draw parallels with the information already received about the text. At this stage, an approximate plan of the text is drawn up and the order of the main thoughts is remembered.
4. D vodka. Repetition of the text from memory in a certain sequence: remember the main points, gradually moving on to the details. At this stage, if possible, peeping into the text should be avoided. Then there is a re-reading with mental "serifs" in those places that the reader missed or forgot. Why did it happen? If the missing information is significant, it should be worked out.

Among all methods of assimilation of information, this one is suitable for texts of small volumes.

Since new information is quickly forgotten after the initial acquaintance, it is worth repeating it a little later (in a few hours on the same day or the next). Over time, the dynamics of forgetting slows down.

Reading aloud and mental repetition: the HORN method

This method of quick memorization of information is similar to the previous one, but it also has its differences.

An experiment was conducted at Kazan University, during which the subjects formed 4 groups. The task for everyone is to remember the text. In the first group, the text was read aloud 4 times. In the second - the text was read aloud 3 times and 1 time mentally retold by students. In the third, the text was read twice and retold mentally twice. In the fourth, the text was read aloud only once, and 3 times it was mentally retold by the audience.

The results showed the greatest efficiency of memorization among students of the fourth group. The listeners of the third group memorized the information a little less effectively, the second group was even less effective, the students of the first group memorized the information worse than the others.

Thanks to this experiment, the PHOG method appeared:

1. ABOUT orientation. When reading a text, it is important to understand its main idea. If necessary, it is written down or underlined, repeated many times in memory.
2. H shade. When re-reading, one gets acquainted with the information more carefully, highlights smaller details, establishes a connection between them and the main thoughts of the text. Mentally, the main thoughts are repeated several times, tied to the details.
3. ABOUT review. A quick review of the text determines whether the main ideas and their relationship to the details have been correctly identified. For a deeper understanding, you can put questions to the main parts.
4. G lavoe. A mental retelling is performed, and if possible, aloud. At this stage, it is important to remember the main thoughts, answer the questions posed.

Try to keep the number of reads to a minimum. At the same time, the number of mental repetitions can be absolutely any, necessary for better assimilation in memory.

Techniques for memorizing large amounts of information: the Cicero method

The previous methods are suitable for working with small texts. But what if you need to quickly master and memorize entire notes, books, works?

As you might have guessed, this technique was named after Marcus Tullius Cicero, a brilliant orator, the great statesman of Rome, who lived in 106-43. BC.

Glory to this man was brought not only by his smartest thoughts. In his speeches, he never used notes, reproducing from memory a huge number of dates, facts, quotations of historical events and names.

This is one of the best methods of remembering information due to its simplicity. He is also called room system or places method.

The point is to mentally arrange important facts in a certain order in a well-known room. Then, if necessary, you just need to remember that very room to fish out the necessary information. It was this technique that Cicero himself was guided by when preparing for performances: mentally he walked around his house, placing the main provisions of the speech in it as conveniently as possible for himself.

Before you start mastering the method, it is important to choose your own sequence of going around the rooms so as not to get confused in your own logic of placing information.

For the first acquaintance with remembering information in this way, try to really walk around your house, mentally placing the information in its place. Then then it will not be necessary to walk around the house at all, it is enough to mentally repeat the route traveled.

And here are some tips to help you do the “arrangement” of information correctly:

• The best place to start is in your own room. Take the door as a starting point, then follow the rule of the left hand (explore in order everything that is on the left side) and slowly move further clockwise;
• when placing information sequentially, it is worth considering stationary objects that always stand in the same places (curtains, chandelier, floor lamp, sofa, picture, photo frame, cornice, shelves, etc.);
• you should use sequential movement not only from left to right, but also from top to bottom, since often objects are one under the other (carpet under the sofa, table under the chandelier, etc.);
• if you need to remember multi-level lists, use not only your home, but also the homes of your relatives, friends, lecture hall, and even well-learned routes from home to school, to the store, etc.

Over time, as you become more familiar with this method, you will be able to use smaller and smaller objects from rooms and find more and more secluded places to store information in your memory. But at the very beginning it is better to limit yourself to the most noticeable objects in the room.

This method has proven itself when working with large texts, daily routine, remembering the order of phone calls. Moreover, if important information is somehow related to each other, and is not just a meaningless data set, then you can reuse the same room several times.

The Cicero method is great for remembering numbers. True, first you have to translate the numbers from an abstract form into a more concrete one in any convenient way. And only then you can fill the places in the room with objects into which the numbers were converted.

The huge advantage of this method is that it takes 2-3 workouts to master it, unlike many other techniques. In addition, it can be used in absolutely any situation and anywhere. At the same time, the place where you are at a particular moment (audience, cottage, museum, dean's office) will serve as a support and help to you. All you need to do is remember in detail a familiar room or use the one you are currently in.

We invite you to practice and try to reproduce the words below from memory using the Cicero method: float, napkin, curlers, grass, mirror, album, comb, book, cat, light bulb, matches, blanket, scissors, scoop. You can use the picture as a sample room:

This technique is one of the most effective methods that contribute to the effective memorization of textual information.

Using Visual Memory: The Pictogram Method

A pictogram is a set of graphic images that a person comes up with for the purpose of memorizing and then reproducing any words and expressions.

The pictogram method in psychology is often used to study, diagnose and strengthen the memory of people with a "visual" image (visuals).

During the study of thinking by the method of pictograms, the following plan was developed when working with textual information:

1. Key words or short phrases are highlighted in the text, which should be written out and underlined.
2. For each word or phrase, a pictogram is drawn - a kind of image that will later help to remember exactly this word / phrase. The image here plays the role of visual association. When drawing, do not use schematics, as well as unnecessary details. The picture should not contain numbers or letters. The process of creating an image should not take more than 10-20 seconds. Example: to remember the phrase "hard work" you can draw a hammer or a person bent under a heavy load. Fireworks, flags, a Christmas tree, etc. can be associated with the phrase "jolly holiday".

The pictogram cannot be right or wrong. This is an association that belongs to you and was created to fulfill the main goal - to remind you of the word or phrase to which it was attached.

It is much easier to draw for a specific object (ice cream, bear, nose) than for a process or an abstract concept (development, longing, reflection). But even in this case, you can easily solve the problem - you just need to assign them a more specific association, transform them into something concrete. For example, for the word "development" you can use the image of a spiral, for the word "longing" - a tear or an anti-smile, for "thinking" - a light bulb, etc.

There are also words of medium complexity of concretization, for example, a school can be depicted with a desk, blackboard, a hospital with a bed or a red cross, etc.

Before you start using the pictogram method, you need to practice. This will allow you to fill your hand in drawing and prepare for the immediate task.

Sample exercise : Draw pictograms for the words below. Please note that words of different complexity are used here. Try to draw such a picture so that in a few hours you can remember the word for which you created the image.

By the way! For our readers there is now a 10% discount on any kind of work.

Using the accumulation system: the Atkinson method

But Atkinson is sure that memory should improve gradually, without sudden jumps and overloads. Therefore, the only safe and proven method of strengthening memory is the accumulation method.

The scientist proposes to leave aside all artificial methods, using only what nature itself has given us. The brain, like all muscles, needs training and gradual loads. As the load increases, so will the memory efficiency.

The essence of the system is:

1. Choose a text (optimally - in poetic form). On the first day, 4 to 6 lines are learned by heart.
2. On the second day, they repeat yesterday's learned lines and additionally learn from 4 to 6 more lines.
3. On the third day, 4-6 new lines are added to those already learned.

There is nothing wrong with peeking into a book from time to time. Do not be upset if something is forgotten: over time, the amount of memory will increase, memorization will become easier.

After a month, double the amount of information you learn. In another month, you can triple the amount of information.

Studies have shown that as a result of applying this technique:

• learned knowledge remains for a long time and easily pops up in memory,
• the ability to remember absolutely any things is improving all the time,
• with the help of willpower, any information is easily remembered.

The essence of this method is nothing but repetition. Classes are best done in the morning, as at this time of day our perception is still fresh. Train every day and you will see: in a month your brain will remember many times more information.

What is important to remember?

Multiple unsystematic repetition of information is unproductive.

And memory can and even needs to be trained! Memorizing something new is useful not only in preparing for exams, but also for life in general. Soon after the start of using the chosen technique, you can see how the brain begins to remember other information that we use in life: remember phone numbers, addresses, regulate incoming / outgoing correspondence, and much more.

The secret is that after repeated training, the memory automatically begins to apply the skill of remembering more information. And this is without the use of any mnemonic techniques and training. However, it is still worth helping your brain from time to time by sorting out important and unimportant information. For example, when preparing for an exam in a discipline that you won’t need in real life, there’s no point in learning a lot of useless information. It is enough to ask for help from people who will do it for you.

And here you can watch a video on memorization techniques OVOD and OCHOG - the most popular way to increase memory:

The main difference of modern life is the huge flow of information that a person has to deal with almost daily. Many of us need to get acquainted with the tasks and plans outlined, speak in front of a large number of people, correctly and beautifully expressing our thoughts to them, engage in training, arousing interest among our wards, etc. However, not every person is able to quickly and fully enter the received data into memory. And very often, in order to remember the necessary information, people use the method of association. However, it is not always effective enough. Its disadvantage lies in the fact that this method is suitable only for a small number of objects. But sometimes there is a need to master an arbitrary text of medium volume. In this case, the associative technique will not bring the desired result. And then a method will come to the rescue, which is based on working with images - mnemonics. Cicero's method is just one of them. It also allows you to remember a large amount of information.

Translated from ancient Greek, the word "mnemonics" means "the art of remembering." As a result of its development, a person not only develops his memory, but also gets the opportunity to present the necessary information in detail and smoothly, that is, to acquire oratory skills.

History of appearance

The Cicero method is named after a statesman of the Roman Republic. Mark Tullius Cicero went down in history as a famous orator who became famous for his ability to reproduce from memory a large number of historical facts, quotations and dates without using the text of his speeches prepared on paper.

However, a similar technique was used even before Cicero. It was used by the ancient Greek poet Simonides. Once he participated in a magnificent and plentiful meal, which he left before all the guests. After the poet left, the ceiling collapsed in the room. The guests and the owner of the house died. Simonides came to the identification of the dead and was able to recall the presence of each person in the process of celebration.

But whoever stood at the origins of this method, the Cicero method is today considered one of the most ancient memorization techniques.

Causes of bad memory

Why is it that not all people are able to quickly memorize a large amount of information? The fact is that the memory of each person has individual characteristics. So, someone with ease, having read only once, will be able to memorize the multiplication table, but at the same time they will almost immediately forget the name of the one they just met. Other people, on the contrary, are naturally given a good visual memory, but they manage to learn the most elementary rules of the Russian language “with a creak”. What are the causes of memory impairment? There are only five of them. Let's consider them in more detail.

Lack of interest

There is the most popular reason for a person's poor memory. It lies in the missing or reduced interest. After all, you see, it is quite difficult to remember the information that does not cause any desire for development in this area. And if a person who does not like poetry is asked to memorize a poem, then the completed task for him will be tantamount to a feat.

inattention

Another reason for poor memory is low concentration on the data received. Today, a huge flow of information pours out on a modern person every day. It simply does not give him the opportunity to delve into the data received. Sometimes people, even without understanding the essence, do not seek to put into practice the information they have received. And this, unfortunately, becomes a habit. Also, the simultaneous performance of several tasks negatively affects the productivity of a person.

Other reasons

It is worth noting that a good memory is not given to us by nature. It is a skill that needs to be developed. Improper nutrition, vitamin deficiency and oxygen starvation of the body affect its level. The real scourge of a modern person - a depressive state - also negatively affects memory. With such a state of health, it is hardly possible not only to remember the newly received information, but also to reproduce the already familiar.

That is why each of us should include healthy food in our diet, constantly take walks in the fresh air, engage in physical education, join an active life position and not give free rein to depression.

hard work

The fame of the statesman and orator Cicero spread throughout the country and around the world literally at the speed of light. His talent for pronunciation of speeches is still set as an example to our contemporaries. So, was the ability to perform in front of a huge audience without notes and tips was his gift or painstaking work on developing the skill of memorization? Without any doubt, hard work, the implementation of which is available to everyone.

Having mastered the Cicero method, anyone can easily retain phrases, words, numbers, dates and other information in memory. However, in order to come to such a result, the application of a huge daily work will be required. In other words, Cicero's memorization training should be done every day.

The essence of the method

What is the main meaning of this method? Memorization according to the method of Cicero involves the creation of a matrix of images. They subsequently allow you to fix large amounts of data in memory, and not just one of the fragments of text.

Memorization according to the Cicero method consists in highlighting key units of information, which are then mentally arranged in a certain order in a well-known room, for example, in a room in one's own house. During the performance, it is enough to recall in all details the interior created in the imagination and reproduce it to the audience.

This is what Cicero himself did. Before each speech, he walked through the numerous rooms of his house, “arranging” the important ideas of his future speech in various places in the rooms he knew well. This allowed the speaker to remember the text brilliantly.

Initial stage of work

Cicero's method of remembering is to use mnemonics. In order to reproduce his speech in strict sequence, the speaker broke the text of the speech into parts, preparing each of them in one of his chambers. Before going out in public, Cicero made a mental walk through the rooms, adhering to a certain route. All this helped him to remember exactly that part of the speech that he was preparing in this or that room.

Before you start working with the text, you will need to read it and find out what it is about. Further, all information should be divided into several parts that carry their semantic meaning.

Walking around the premises

Further, according to the method of Cicero, it is necessary to remember each of the selected sections of information. And you need to do this in different rooms of your house or apartment. The order in which they follow must be strictly defined. For example, from the hallway you need to go to the bathroom, from it - go to the toilet, then go to the kitchen, go through the living room, visit the nursery and complete your route in the bedroom. The text in this case must be reproduced taking into account the sequential presentation of all its parts. And for better memorization of specific information, you will need to mentally bypass each of the rooms. At the same time, specific data should be placed in its certain places, which can then be easily reproduced. To begin with, just as the author of the technique himself did, it is recommended to walk around the room and mentally arrange all the necessary elements in it. You only need a few of these workouts. After that, the person easily begins to reproduce the image of the room in his memory, mentally remembering all those objects that are in it.

The Cicero method is based on the principle of spatial imagination, and for its most effective application it is important to maintain a sequence of movements around the room. The route, for example, can be laid clockwise or in the direction from one wall to another. It is not worth complicating your task when using the Cicero method. To memorize information, you need to choose for yourself the room that has already been studied quite well.

Instead of a house or apartment, for example, an office can be chosen. You can also use the road to the nearest store or to work. A system of images can also be created on an imaginary path. This will allow you to remember any amount of information, since there is simply no end to such a path. Another option is to create an imaginary room. Its interior can be chosen according to your own wishes and taste. There is no need to limit your imagination. After all, the room exists only in the imagination and in thoughts.

Method demonstration

Using the Cicero method for memorization for children, you can use the plots of fairy tales with them. For example, working with all of us well-known Kolobok is as follows:

1. Breaking down the text into six semantic parts, each of which should be presented in the form of an image: flour - a bun rolling along the road - a bunny - a wolf - a furry bear - a fox-sister who eats a bun. In Cicero's method of spatial imagination, such images are auxiliary. They are needed to encode the information that needs to be remembered. But the image of the place itself, which already exists in our memory and is well known to us, is called “reference” in mnemonics.

2. In a mental connection of auxiliary images created in the imagination - flour and a bun on the road, a hare, etc. with support, which will serve as a kitchen and living room, bathroom and other rooms. So, the flour is in the kitchen. On the way to the living room, a bun rolls. The hare is sitting in the bathroom, and the wolf is in the toilet. The bear can be found in the nursery, but on the balcony the fox eats the bun.

3. In repeating a fairy tale using mental images, which will allow you to remember the plot, supporting images and the sequence of events.

Advantages of the method

The above examples of Cicero's method give an idea of ​​its use. However, it should be borne in mind that this method allows solving more complex problems. This can be, for example, memorizing the text of a speech, educational material, the sequence of making phone calls, a plan for the day, etc.

The positive side of Cicero's method of spatial imagination is that the material reproduced will be a logically connected text, and not just a collection of random words. In this case, there is the possibility of multiple use in the imagination of the same room. The main points will not mix with each other. It is not difficult for a person to restore data on a specific topic in memory.

Another advantage of the Cicero method is the ease of its development. Just a few workouts are enough and you can use this method anywhere. In this case, you do not have to come up with associations and restore their chain for a long time. It is enough just to remember a familiar room or to carefully examine the room in which the person is currently located.

Basic Rules to Remember

For the most effective application of the Cicero method, it is necessary:

Attach selected images in a room with bright lighting;

Reverse the dimensions of imaginary objects, making small ones large, and reducing large ones to scanty ones;

To make the connection between the images existing in the room and new ones dynamic and interesting.

It bears the name of one of the great Roman politicians, who became famous for the fact that in the process of his bright speeches he never used records. At the same time, the speaker operated with a lot of figures, names, facts, and also quite often used quotes.

According to some sources, Cicero's method was used with great success long before its official author. In particular, the famous ancient Greek poet Simonides actively and successfully practiced it.

This method is simple and effective at the same time. Another name for it is the Roman room system. It is based on the fact that the key units that need to be remembered must be placed in thoughts in a certain order, imagining a familiar room in the head. After such a procedure, it is enough just to restore this room in memory in order to restore everything that you recorded in memory. Cicero, when he was busy preparing for a public speech, walked around the house and placed in his head the main key points of his speech in various places.

Before you start practicing Cicero's memorization, decide how you plan to go around the room. Choose a sequence of places where you plan to mentally place key units. For some, the idea of ​​a room in the head will suffice. However, for the first time, it will not be superfluous to walk around the house, as the great speaker did. At the same time, it is worth choosing a familiar room, for example, your personal office. You can choose to move clockwise.

With experience, you will be able to use an increasing number of objects and places, thereby expanding your ability to record information. You can use absolutely any items. Let it be a sofa, TV, shelf, desktop, computer and so on. You can mentally move from left to right, and up and down. You don't have to limit yourself to just your room. Familiar routes and the like can be used to more efficiently commit to memory.

You need to associate key points of the information you are trying to remember with certain items through associations. Starting to practice this method, it will not be superfluous to have a set of room elements in your head. Thus, you will always have a “handy” set of so-called mental hooks for which you can hook on the necessary key points.

As an example, consider how easy it is to remember a list of the following items: bicycle, backpack, bottle, plasticine. These elements will be placed sequentially in accordance with the scheme of the house. Let's start with the corridor. It is necessary to use non-standard connections so that its reproduction is not difficult even after a long time.

We place the bike on a hanger near the door, and it is in an upside down position. Such an association will easily be deposited in our head. Next comes a backpack that hangs on the door, and a cat peeps out of it. We put a sunflower flower in the bottle and place it on the bedside table. We completely seal the mirror located in the hallway with plasticine, thereby creating a non-standard association and fixing the last key element on our list. Thus, we have a rather unusual associative array, which we can easily restore in our heads.

It is very important to preliminarily determine those objects that will meet us on the way. Otherwise, there is a risk that you yourself will look for details that will be easier to associate with a particular keyword. As a result, memorization will be inefficient.

Of course, Cicero's method should be used for much more difficult problems. The above example is just to help you understand what happens. remembering information. This method is productive in the process of fixing in memory the text, the plan for the day, the order of the necessary phone calls, and so on. Moreover, when the information is logically related data, and not just a collection of words, you will be able to use the same room repeatedly. At the same time, the rows of key elements will not be mixed up, and you will be able to easily restore data on a specific topic.

To learn how to use this method, a few trainings are enough. This is its main advantage, if we compare this technique with others. Moreover, this technique can be used anywhere. And the room where you are can be an excellent starting point for remembering information. You do not need to use the linked association method or take a long time to restore the chain, as is necessary when using the sequential association method. You just need to recall a familiar room or use where you are at a particular moment. It is quite enough to look at the room, while placing key words and tying them to some objects. Restoring information is also easy. It is enough to remember the situation. Using this method, you will be amazed at how easily and quickly even very complex material can be mastered.

Cicero's method is unique mnemonic device which everyone can learn. Even if you do not consider yourself to be a person with a good memory, using this technique, you can easily surpass each of them.

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Hello, Dear Habrausers!

I was inspired to write this publication by indignation from a recently read article by one habrauser, who claims that mnemonics is “a very good way of memorizing information, completely unsuitable for learning foreign words.” I fundamentally disagree with this statement, and therefore, I would like to prove the opposite.
If you are interested in how to use mnemonics to memorize foreign words, then welcome under cat.

Introduction

In this article I will try to cover the following points:

1. Who is speaking?
2. A brief excursion into the basic rules of mnemonics.
3. Theoretical use of mnemonics in memorizing foreign words.
4. Practical use of mnemonics on the example of the Japanese language.

1. Who is speaking?

I, a 3rd year student of the Faculty of Law, have been using mnemonics for about a year to learn a foreign language (Arabic and Japanese). I got acquainted with the phenomenon of mnemonics as a child from my brother (there was some old book, the name of which I don’t remember anymore). I was interested in this, and I decided to get to know it better, so I bought the book Super Memory by Harry Lorraine (I do not recommend spending money on it). Then I was fascinated by all this, but only when I tried to apply everything that is written there in life, I realized that there was nothing behind beautiful words.

Some time has passed. I became more interested in all this (self-development), took a speed reading course and after that I stumbled upon (or should I say found?) A mnemonic course called "The Giordano System". At first I read the book of the author of the methodology, I liked it, and therefore it was decided to take this course, since it cost little money. I will immediately write that I am in no way related to the authors of this technique, only as a former student. If you want to get more information about this, then refer to this article on Habré.

I use mnemonics to memorize words, phrases and texts in a foreign language, but more for words, which we will consider in this article.
Due to the fact that there is not much time for such things, I consider learning a foreign language as a hobby or, as they wrote in this article, an exercise for brain training.

Arabic "actively" studied last year. Now he, like English, is on a “passive” study, that is, it comes down simply to reading the relevant texts in the original. And Japanese, as you probably guessed, is in the position of "active" learning. By “active” learning, I mean learning a language in a complex way, developing all aspects (reading, writing, listening, speaking), and not just reading.

It is quite difficult to make a quantitative measurement of the amount of stored information due to the spread in the volume itself. For example, recently I memorized about 35 kanji characters and 40-50 simple words at a time. And the other day there are only 12 hieroglyphs and 20 new words. That is, there are limitations only in your willingness to devote this or that amount of time to memorization. More on this later.

2. A brief digression into the basic rules of mnemonics

First you need to understand that the brain does not remember the images themselves that arise in the head, but connections between multiple images. This is very important to remember, because right at the time of memorization, you need to focus on this. The brain is a generator of information. The generation process is carried out according to fixed connections in the presence of appropriate incentives. Without stimulation, the brain cannot create information. Isolation of the sense organs (sensory deprivation) leads to a "freeze" of memory and to a breakdown in the activity of the entire brain.

The more often this or that reaction is evoked in the head by means of the corresponding stimulus, the stronger this connection is fixed. But at the same time, connections can be replaced (overwritten).

Further, there are natural associations (connections that really exist between the objects we perceive). Due to the fact that these connections already exist, the brain remembers them automatically. The author identifies many techniques, but since the volume of the article is limited, and the purpose of my story is not to delve into mnemonics, but to demonstrate the effectiveness of mnemonics, I will not state all the techniques, only what we will use in the article.

Cicero's method. In this method, connections between objects located in familiar rooms or on a familiar street are used for memorization. These connections do not need to be formed, that is, they do not need to be memorized. They formed in your brain automatically due to the repeated and regular perception of related objects in your apartment, at work, on a familiar street.

Through the method of Cicero, we will form reference images that will stimulate the recall of memorized words.

We got acquainted with natural associations, now let's move on to artificial ones (these are those that we ourselves will form to remember this or that information). I will immediately say that when a connection is formed, the logicality and illogicality of the connection, the emotions that arise during the formation of the connection, thoughts, and so on, do not matter.

Only the following matters. Remember the simple rules that in no case should be violated in the process of creating a connection:

1. Images must be large. Any visual images, whatever their actual size, should be reduced to the same size. If you imagine an ant, then it should be enlarged to the size of a watermelon. If you imagine an airplane, then this image should be reduced to the size of a watermelon. Small images should not be presented. Connections between such images will be recorded very poorly.

2. Images should be presented voluminous. An example of such images can be holographic images or images created on 3D graphics programs. Such images can be rotated and viewed from different angles.

3. Images must be submitted colored. If you imagine a leaf on a branch, then the leaf should be green and the branch brown. If you imagine the image of a "traffic light", then try to see the colors green, yellow and red. Some people see color well, others worse. However, try to represent it. It trains well. Non-smokers usually do not have problems with the representation of color sensations.

4. The submitted images must be detailed. If you imagine the image of a “phone”, you need to mentally consider it and clearly see what parts the phone you represent consists of. If it is a cell phone, then you can identify the following images in it: antenna, display, buttons, cover, strap, leather case, battery.

There are mental operations that include the process of "memory". The main mental operation in mnemonics is the “connection of images”. Images can be combined in the imagination in many ways. It depends on the memorization method used. In any case, remember the following important rule.
When memorizing any information, when using any techniques, only two visual images are connected in the imagination at one time. I repeat, this is very important. In practice, you will understand why it stands out.

The next significant operation for us is “selection of subimages (parts of the image)”. This mental operation is used to "disassemble" a holistic image into its constituent parts and obtain a large number of simpler images. For example, you can disassemble the image "radio tape recorder" into its component parts and present each part separately: a handle, a regulator, a button, a cassette, legs, etc. We will use this to memorize the meaning of the word, and then on this image its pronunciation.

Operations "modification" and "transformation of images" I will touch only partially. Speaking very superficially, they consist in the fact that for one word, for example, “onion”, you have different images (onion is a plant, onion is a weapon). But even these "plant" and "weapon" can still be modified many times. I think you can imagine how many different bows (weapons) there are? This is important so that as the amount of information increases, the images do not mix. For example, for the English word "axe" you will have one image, and for the Japanese word - another. I'm not sure that this article will touch on this problem in more detail.

There are 4 stages of memorization:
1. Coding. You transform words into images.
2. Memorization. Form a connection between reference images and remembered images.
3. Fixing connections in the brain. Exclusion of intermediate images from the head through the formation of a direct connection word (pronunciation) - image-meaning of the word.

For coding There are several methods, but in our case the following are important:
1. Word-image. For such simple words as pencil, briefcase, TV, etc., you use the images that arise in your mind while remembering these words. Everything is simple here. We won't stop.
2. Reception of symbolization. Everything is much more complicated here, especially at the beginning. It is used to convert abstract words into visual images. An abstract word is a word that does not have a fixed figurative meaning. For the words cold, courage, jealousy, enter and others, there are no fixed images, so here you need to select (select at first, and then this process is automated) images individually. The author gives the following images: Cold is ice, jealousy is a wet handkerchief. There is no enter and courage in the example, but for me these words are symbolized by the following images. Enter - a foot stepping over the threshold of an open door (to describe long, but capacious image). Courage is an aged heart of steel.

The next term is figurative codes. This concept is interpreted broadly, but for convenience we will reduce it to a meager value. Figurative codes = phonetic figurative codes. The bottom line is that for a particular sound, its own image is created and a phonetic image for reading is already attached to the image-value. While this may seem complicated and confusing, but when you move on to practice, you will realize that it is quite simple and logical.

Memorization.
It is carried out, as already mentioned above, by connecting images. For this part, you already have the relevant theoretical knowledge, so I will consider this part in the next chapter.

Strengthening connections in the brain.
In mnemonics, this refers to the repeated recall of information. Not reading at all. The scheme is this: you memorize information (make connections). After that, repeat everything together in your head (control recall). If the repetition occurs without errors (verification with the source), then repeated recall should be carried out in about an hour. And then for 3-4 days to recall the information three times a day. This may seem like a lengthy process, but I assure you that looking at images is a quick process once the skill has been established. This can be done anywhere, so you do not need to allocate additional time for this. After all, everyone has moments when they either need to wait for something or need to perform mechanical work that does not require the inclusion of the brain. At these moments, you can engage in the consolidation of ties.

I have tried to summarize the necessary information to move on to the next chapter of this article.

3. Theoretical use of mnemonics in memorizing foreign words.

1. First of all, it is necessary to form support images. In my case, about 500 images are generated. They are more than enough for a foreign language. But for informational purposes, let's take only 10 images (in order to understand the memorization process itself.
2. Then we need to select words for memorization.
3. Form images-meanings for these words. It is important. Please note that when remembering the word "hammer" (hammer) in an image, the meaning will be the image of a "hammer", and not a Hammer machine.
4. Connect support images with image values ​​in order.
5. Make sure that these images are remembered without gaps.
6. Now you need to attach phonetic figurative codes or auxiliary images to the part of the image-meaning, by which you can read the word.
7. Control recall of all memorized information.
8. Strengthening these connections.

4. Practical use of mnemonics on the example of the Japanese language.

Support images

Kitchen

1) Switch.
2) Coffee maker.
3) Stove.
4) Sink.
5) Bread box.
6) Hook.
7) Chair.
8) Table.
9) Painting.
10) The handle from the front door.

Words to remember

Words

1) The book is khon.
2) Garden - field.
3) Red - akai.
4) Blue - aoi.
5) Go - ik.
6) Winter - fuyu.
7) Cow - wuxi (read with an emphasis on "u", like "uchi".
8) In (preposition) - naka.
9) New - atarasium.
10) Good - th

Meaning-images

images

1) A book is a book.
2) Garden - a bench (it stands in our garden, so for me this image symbolizes the "garden". You must use your own image. For example, you can imagine a flower bed or a shovel if you are digging in the garden, etc.
3) Red - the flag of the USSR.
4) Blue - the sea.
5) Walk - footprint.
6) Winter is a snowman.
7) Cow - cow.
8) B (preposition) - a condom (I think it's not worth explaining why this image). You can take the image of a heart pierced by an arrow or the image of a katana in a sheath. The main thing is that the image is capacious and you can understand the word behind it.
9) New - Lamborghini Aventador. You can take the image of a new building or the image of some object that is new to you.
10) Good - the image of a fist with an outstretched thumb up.

Connection of images.

Let's take a look at our example:
It is necessary to connect the switch and the book. We present a book on the switch from above (they must be in contact and be the same size). We hold these two images for 6 seconds. Then we move on to the next, forgetting about these. etc.
At the time of the connection, you should see only the switch and the book. Nothing more. It is important. During memorization, concentration should be maximum, because it is difficult to keep a detailed, voluminous, large and colored image of a switch and a book in your head for 6 seconds. Do not close your eyes, but fix your gaze on a monochrome surface.

Next, when you form all the connections in order, check yourself. Sit down and remember each image. If there are gaps, then form new connections with the problem words. When you can accurately recall all the words, then proceed to the next step.

Memorizing pronunciation

Let's take the image of a book. Using the technique of selecting parts of the image, we will form new images from the book.
Let's zoom in on the book until only the upper left part of the spine is visible. This is our new look. We will attach the syllable “ho” to it (Hamster is the image of a hamster), using the “combination of images” technique discussed above. Next, let's zoom in on the bookmark of the book and connect it with the syllable "n" (Nose - the image of the nose). Etc. If you already have one beginning of ho ... you can remember “hon”, then the second image is not necessary to remember. In practice, I remember the first two syllables. Then the brain can automatically read them. Maybe this is due to the fact that I watched a lot of Japanese animation in the original with subtitles in school, and my brain remembered them. Or maybe not. But this was not the case with Arabic. I had to fix all the syllables. See for yourself.

By the same principle, connect the pronunciation with the image-meaning.
Here is a list of images for individual syllables, formed by the author. Using it, you can easily connect pronunciation and image-meaning.

List

Dashboard

Then you check whether you can recall the meaning from the auxiliary images or not. If not, then you need to strengthen the connection by securing it again. If you do not get distracted and consistently form all connections, then the percentage of primary memorization ranges from 70 to 80 percent. As the skill develops, the quality increases.

I will not dwell on the consolidation of ties, because, as has already been said, where and how to carry it out. I will only repeat that consolidation should be done by remembering information, and not by reading it. You quickly run through the images "book" - "hon" ... to the end. And then you go about your business. 3 times a day for 3-4 days.

When you fix the image-meaning and sound, then if you meet “khon” in the text, then “book” will automatically pop up. I want to note that the spelling of hieroglyphs can also be memorized, but an additional element is added when, after pronunciation, it is necessary to mentally draw a hieroglyph.
On the fourth day, such a situation may arise that you did not remember the words, but it arbitrarily flashes in your head. The author calls this reminiscence. It's okay, this is a sign that the words are remembered.

Problems and main questions arising in the transition from theory to practice.

1. When connecting images, the second image is not remembered.
This issue is resolved by practice. The author has all the training stretched over 5 months, three classes a week. The main thing is not to deviate from the basic principles outlined in the theoretical part.

2. How to memorize long words? After all, not all images can be divided into many parts.
When words are memorized, in practice the method that I introduced you to (fixing the sound by figurative codes) is combined with other methods, for example, consonance coding. The word "terrible" is replaced by THERMometer (a consonant word) + Pin and Loupe (these are figurative codes for the corresponding sounds of the English language). Thus, it is possible to compactly write long words, which are not so many. "AtarashiKunaKatta" - translated as "was not new", but this word is formed from "Atarashi", and "kunakatta" is just a suffix. And you will learn it while studying grammar, so there is no need to memorize it separately.

3. Will I run out of reference images?
In practice, 200 figurative codes are enough to memorize 50 new words every day, because the images are overwritten.
For example, you learn 50 words on the first day, on the second next fifty dollars (but still repeat the first 50), etc., and on the fifth day you already learn new 50 on the first 50 reference images, but repeat the previous 150 to consolidate .

4. Is mnemonics easy?
No. This is quite labor intensive. Especially at first, when you are trying to remember a word, but you get stuck on the fact that you can’t find a suitable image. But it is more effective and more exciting than the tedious repetition of a word over and over again. Over time, the process is automated and everything will go faster, but this does not make it easier. The brain will still be stressed.

5. Restrictions on the amount of stored information?
Only in how many reference images and free time you have. Images do not merge and do not mix.

End

CICERO'S MEMORIZATION METHOD To master Cicero's method, two or three trainings are enough. This is its great advantage over many other techniques. When applying the method of Cicero, you no longer need to remember some well-learned series, as when using the "ordinary" method of connected associations, or to drag along a long chain of associations, as in the method of sequential associations. Another advantage is that this method can be applied anywhere you are.

This method is named after one of the brilliant orators, a statesman from the time of the Roman Republic. His name is Mark Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC). He also became famous for the fact that he never used notes in his speeches, reproducing from memory many facts, quotations, historical dates and names. This is a surprisingly simple and at the same time extremely effective method, also called the method of places or the Roman room system. Its essence lies in the fact that the memorized units of information must be mentally arranged in a well-known room in a strictly defined order. Then it is enough to remember this room in order to reproduce the necessary information. This is exactly what Cicero did in preparation for his speeches - he walked around his house and mentally placed the key points of his speech in it. Before you begin learning how to use this method, you need to decide for yourself what sequence you will follow around the room. In other words, you need to determine the sequence of places where you will post your information, that is, prepare a reference list of places. For many, it will be enough just to keep it in their heads. If this is difficult, then, memorizing the sequence of elements using the Cicero method for the first time, you can try to walk around the room realistically, like him, while arranging the elements mentally. In other cases, walking around the house, as Cicero did, is not necessary: ​​it is enough to imagine it mentally (the room, of course, must be very familiar). Start with your room (study) as with the most familiar. Let the starting point be the door, then the near left corner or whatever is there, then the left wall, then the far left corner, etc. clockwise. As you become more experienced with the Cicero method, you will be able to use more and more items in the room, meaning you will have more places to place list items, but for now, limit yourself to the most visible items in the room. The more you remember the location of objects, the more elements you can remember. Use consistently all the items that always have the same place in your room: a castle, a sofa, a picture, a cornice, curtains, a window sill, bookshelves, a table. In addition to the sequence from left to right, follow the sequence from top to bottom (if two objects are one below the other). To memorize lists of various elements, you can use the whole apartment or house, as well as well-known homes of friends and relatives, an office, and even well-studied sections of the path on the street: from home to a bus stop, to the subway, to the nearest store, your favorite park path and T. n. It is necessary to connect the elements of the memorized series with the objects of the room using associations (example below). At first, you can even make yourself a list of the elements of the room (you get a series of words) - in other words, a list of peculiar hooks for which you will attach the remembered elements. Consider an example of how you can remember a list of items in a specific order. Here are a number of words: cheese, puppy, plasticine, ruler, thermometer, letter, puddle, forest. We will place them sequentially, according to our layout of the apartment, starting from the corridor. In the example, we will try to use unusual connections in order to be able to reproduce this series even after a long time. So, we plug the gap in the lock with cheese, we put the puppy near the door in the left corner, but in order not to forget this standard connection, we imagine how he starts to gnaw on the baseboard, and we are trying to forbid him to do this. We glue plasticine to the mirror, and we cover almost the entire surface with it so that the reflection is not visible. We attach the ruler to the cabinet doors: now it does not allow them to open. We screw the thermometer instead of a light bulb into the chandelier. Now on our way there is a door to the room. We insert the letter in the gap between the door and the jamb (we could spread it instead of a rug). To the left of the room, against the wall, is a small sofa; we imagine that he is standing in a puddle and his legs are about to get wet. It remains to connect the bookshelves and the word "forest". We imagine how a forest grows in front of the bookshelves, tree branches pass between the books, and the bookshelves themselves are almost invisible. The main thing before memorizing is to determine in advance the objects that will be included in the path scheme, so that during memorization one does not have to think whether to associate the next element with one or another object or whether it is more convenient to associate it with the next one. If you do this, you may make errors during playback. In general, the method of Cicero is more appropriate to use for more serious things than memorizing a series of words (these words were given only to show how to use it). He has proven himself well when memorizing texts, daily routines, the order of phone calls, etc. At the same time, when the information is somehow thematically related (and not just meaningless rows of words or numbers), then you can use the same room several times. times, rather than looking for a new "support" room each time. The memorized rows of elements will not mix, and you will reproduce the elements of the theme you need. To master the method of Cicero, two or three training sessions are enough. This is its great advantage over many other techniques. Another advantage is that this method can be applied anytime, anywhere you are. At the same time, this place itself - an auditorium, a museum, a chief's office can serve you as a "support" room. When applying the method of Cicero, you no longer need to remember some well-learned series, as when using the "ordinary" method of connected associations, or to drag along a long chain of associations, as in the method of sequential associations. It is enough to remember a familiar room or use the one in which you are. You can simply look at and memorize the room (room), arranging the key words of the material to be remembered in turn. When you need to reproduce it, remember only the atmosphere of the room (which is much easier and more familiar than, for example, recalling the contents of a report or lecture), and you yourself will be surprised at how easily the necessary information was assimilated along with the situation.

Other ways to develop memory 1. Develop memory by training attention. We remember only what we notice, and we notice only when we are attentive. Therefore, you need to train your attention. You can also do this in a playful way, for example, try to play with your interlocutor during a walk: who will mark houses with green roofs more. For the development of memory, pictures from the series “find ten differences” are also useful. In these cases, your brain concentrates on the little things and gets used to working actively in non-standard situations. Then, at work or at school, you will begin to quickly grasp all the most important things and memorize them without difficulty. 2. A combination of different types of memory for the same purpose. Once a teacher of Russian language and literature complained about her students who do not learn poetry. She was advised to invite the students to do push-ups and repeat the text aloud. The students would memorize the verses along with the movements and effort of the muscles. Even after many years, doing push-ups, they will remember these verses (maybe not entirely, but from the most trained place). Also, many children are forced by their parents to learn the multiplication table, rewriting and pronouncing it to themselves. Then the motor (we write and memorize), visual (we remember where we rewrite from) and auditory (we memorize by ear) memory work. 3. We remember in parts. The third method is that all the information is "sorted out". That is, the text must be compiled into a summary, words should be divided into groups, formulas should be memorized along with examples. It is also important to deal with emerging issues at the same time, because when we get what we need ourselves, we learn it better. So the line is memorized faster if it contained an unfamiliar expression, peeped in the dictionary. 4. Repetition is an exercise for developing memory. This option is suitable for people with a developed visual memory and poor auditory. Suppose that at the moment when you were walking in the park, a friend told you a phone number, but you have no way to write it down. In this case, while your friend is dictating, mentally imagine your handset and dial the number on it as dictated. Then pretend that he was busy and try again, saying the number out loud to a friend. If everything is correct, repeat again, and even after a couple of hours you will remember everything. The practice of such an exercise each time will have a positive effect on the development of your memory. 5. Develop your memory by discovering new things. When information is remembered effortlessly, it is stored longer. Improving in your profession, learning new information about your hobbies, listening to the news, you may not think that it is necessary to remember, but by remembering, you improve your memory and, therefore, develop. 6. Come up with your own way of developing memory. Take a closer look at yourself, determine what is more difficult for you to remember and what can help you personally retain precious information. Try making small cheat sheets for yourself, stick the sheets in the most prominent places, attach them to the board, above your desktop or monitor. The most important rule for the development of memory is that the records should not contain the full text, because then you just read and remember. Make associative notes or drawings. Your brain will analyze the record, find the information in memory and remember it again, but automatically. Next time you will remember faster and will not forget.