The visual memory is vital – life-saving – for children who have a challenging time remembering what they learn. This can include tasks that are considered very basic, such as remembering the alphabet (even with the song) or the sounds associated with each letter. Some children struggle to hold on to sight words, spelling facts, grammar rules, what they just read, etc. If a child cannot remember what he is learning, all learning comes to a standstill. Holding on to information is imperative if a child is to learn with ease. If a child is unable to hold on to these “basics”, learning becomes very labored. Even the hardest worker fatigues when all information feels brand new.
One way that we address this is by utilizing the visual memory. In The Brain Book, Peter Russell says, “Visual images are generally much better remembered than words. So much so that visual recognition is practically perfect” (p. 114). To test this theory, study participants were shown 2,560 photographic slides. These images were shown at a rate of one every ten seconds. One hour later, participants were shown 280 images in which half were the previously viewed images and the other half were slightly different. The participants were able to correctly recall 85 to 95% of the original images. The same results were found after a one-and-a-half day delay (Haber, 1970). Another experiment found that subjects were able to recognize 99.6% of ten thousand pictures shown to them (Russell, 1979).
Using the visual memory brings the right hemisphere into learning, which is the long-term memory (Craft, 2013). Here are a few examples of the power of visual memory:
- The News: The media knows that the visual memory is powerful and long-lasting. Images are used in the news to hold a person’s attention.
- Hollywood: We protect what children see in movies, video games, and television. We know that these images will stick with them more than something they hear.
- Disturbing Images: A friend recently served on a jury for a domestic violence case. He said the part that would not leave him was the pictures they were shown of the case. These images were locked in his visual memory.
Traditionally, education’s emphasis on reading, writing, and math – that is on these logical left hemisphere functions – has not encouraged strong visual imagery (a right hemisphere function). Children who do not have learning difficulties tend to easily learn in the black and white realm. For a struggling learner, this imagery will be a lifeline.
Education can be very auditory, using rote memory. Peter Russell said, “Verbal memory is not nearly so good as the visual memory” (p. 165). It (the visual memory) is found to be “superior to verbal memory” (p. 164). In one report, it was found that typical students and children with learning disabilities could perform at the same level when trained with a visual learning method (Buzan, 1977, p. 129). Struggling learners must be given more effective tools.
Memory has been improved by making associations. Rather than crowding up the capacity of memory, associations work as “hooks” for information to hang on. Mnemonics devices were first used by ancient Greeks and Romans. The word mnemonic comes from the Greek word mneme, “to remember”. For example, using rhymes, songs, acronyms, etc., to remember lists or facts. For many children, this may still be too auditory (left-hemisphere) oriented. As I stated above, children may not be able to remember the alphabet when using the song. However, certain mnemonics make fuller use of imagery. Connecting story, humor, color, and picture to the black and white of learning can be a better use of mnemonics for struggling learners.
We have heard of amazing memory champions, one such person was known as “S”. He was able to accomplish amazing feats in memory simply by using his visual memory. “S” displayed a near perfect memory by forming strong vivid images. He could remember long lists of nonsense syllables fifteen years after learning them (Russell, 1979). Although it may not be important for our struggling learners to learn information just as an impressive demonstration, we can use this power of the visual memory for helping them remember crucial information.
A mom who recently began to use this visual method with her own child sent us this testimony:
“Thanks for coming and speaking! I personally loved all the visual “how to’s”. They helped me tremendously! And, yes, I have started using them with multiplication tables and spelling words. No more tears or groans! Thanks!” – Christy P.
Buzan, T. (1977). Use Both Sides of Your Brain. New York: E.P. Dutton.
Craft, D. (2013). The Brain Integration Therapy Manual.
Haber, R. H. (1970). How We Remember What We See. Scientific American, 105.
Russell, P. (1979). The Brain Book. Routledge & Kegan Paul.