Chapter 6 & 13

1. Chapter six was about memory strategies and metacognition. Memory strategies are those that can be practiced to enhance memory and information retrieval. The book also warns that divided attention should be cautioned. If one is trying to purposely remember material, attention should be focused. Overconfidence was an issue in the chapter as well. Too often, individuals believe that their memories are accurate, but in truth, they are not. The total-time-hypothesis connects the amount of time actively learning the material to the success rate of retrieval. If a person spends a greater amount of time deeply processing the material to be learned, it is more likely that he or she will be able to retrieve that information at a later time. Several components of the distributed-practice effect were discussed in the chapter as well. The spacing effect states that material can be retained easier if it is learned over a period of time. Massed learning suggests that material is less likely to be retained if learned all at once. The testing effect states that taking a test is a great way to remember material.

Throughout chapter six, various strategies to improve memories. Mnemonics are strategies designed to improve memory through the completion of activities that relate the the material to be learned. Mnemonics suggests the use of imagery to promote material recall. Visual imagery is a very successful memory strategy. The keyword method can be used to connect synonyms or similar words in other languages. This requires one to create a visual image of both the new word and the familiar one. The method of loci is another imagery strategy that connects the new material with a specific location of familar objects in a sequence. Another strategy is chunking; this is combining units into larger groups. The hierachy technique is an imagery technique where items are grouped in hierachial orders. The first-letter technique is where the material to be learned is put in a sentence or phrase by using each beginning letter of the new information. The narrative technique requires the person to generage a story to link a series of words together.

In order to be truly successful in increasing memory, the multimodal approach is suggested. In order to improve both prospective memory and retrospective memory, one should become aware of their own thoughts about memory. Metacognition is the awareness of one's own thoughts on learning and understanding. Chapter 13 goes into great detail about children's lack of natural ability to perform metacognitive tasks. These tasks must be taught to the students in order for them to comprehend the importance of memory and retention.

2. I think that chapter six continues to build on what we have learned from the other chapters. I really appreciated the text's connection between attention, levels of processing, and the self-referencing effect. I believe that knowledge of all of these are crucial in order to understand how memory works, and how metacognition comes into play. By using deeper levels of process and focused attention, memory is enhanced. It is even more enhanced when the material can be connected to oneself as the self-referencing effect states.

3. While I think that I understand most of what these chapters hold, I am confused why any teachers would not want to teach metacognition strategies to their students. The book states that this is not a natural process for the students, and they must be taught how to do this. It seems so crucial to me to incorporate this into my lessons to improve my students' memory.

4. I think that mnemonics section of the book applies itself quite well to my class. There is so much that needs to be taught and remembered each year in a child's schooling. I feel that it is important to give helpful clues on how to remember that material. The first-letter technique is one that I could use now that my students know all of the letters and their corresponding sounds. I also believe that imagery is an excellent way to help the students remember material. It is crucial for them to visualize their learning, make it personal to them, and find a way to connect it to something they know about.

5. The author offers a great deal of proof for the material that is provided. I really didn't know that there were so many different categories of mnemonic devices. The author provided clinical and real-world examples of these techniques. By using both, I found the findings to be valid and applicable to my teaching. I also feel that the information is reliable because it is constantly being connected to previous chapters.

6. The material in these chapters is crucial to my role as a teacher. I not only have to present the information in an engaging method, but I also have to help my students use various strategies in order to remember that information. Understanding the information is the big picture of what I am teaching, but I have to be able to help my students find a way to really understand it and retain it.

7. I would use my knowledge from these readings on a daily basis, especially to encourage metacognition. The author suggests that children do not have the ability to do this on their own. It is my duty to make sure that the children are aware of their own learning. I find this especially useful in my teaching of guided reading. I am guiding the students to become independent readers and thinkers, but I must walk them through all aspects of the reading process for their success. This includes metacognition.

8. I appreciate all of the studies and activities that are involved in these chapters to clarify the content. I believe that by being a teacher of five year olds, much of the metacognition seemed to be common sense. For me, to make this clearer in a less-expensive way would be to show a glimpse of an early-childhood classroom and all that is going on inside. I believe that as an educator, I would have seen all of the material that is to be covered, and the methods that are described in this chapter. Following this glimpse, Iwould have gone into detail about the content of the chapters.