Memorization- The Chunking Method
Important: This method works for 90% of kids 90% of the time. If that isn’t you, IT”S FINE! Try this today- it’s a tool in your toolkit- and if it’s not for you, go home and memorize another way!
The chunking method: Based on the scientific principle that we remember things best in small chunks, then put together in bigger chunks. Think of your phone number- you remember 3+3+4, not 10 numbers. Smaller groups are easier to get right. Your chunks should be 3-11 words long. If you have a sentence that is longer than that, break it in a logical place- where there is a comma, or a conjunction, or something like that.
Start at the beginning of your monologue. Look at the first sentence. Is it 3-11 words? If so, that is chunk A! If not, break it into a logical first part that can be A.
EXAMPLE:
CHUNK A B C
My daddy gets me what I want, when I want it. Some say I
D E
might be spoiled, but I just think it’s love with benefits. But when I
F G
heard of these golden tickets I just had to get one. A trip to Willy
Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!
Steps for memorizing:
WHY DO I NEED TO IGNORE CHUNK A WHEN I WORK ON B?
Great question! It probably seems logical, after you learn A, to just tack on B on top of it. After all, they are right next to each other, they go together, and eventually you need to do both of them, so might as well start now, right?
Well, for B, that would make sense. Maybe even for C. But look at this
A
A+B
A+B+C
A+B+C+D
A+B+C+D+E+……Z
By the time you get to Z, at the end of your monologue, you will be SO AMAZING at A. But… you’ll be pretty terrible at X,Y, and Z. After all, you will have practiced then 25 fewer times. You want to know all of your monologue equally well, not just the beginning. So that requires spending equal, separate time on each chunk. THEN put the chunks into context in bigger and bigger chunks, until they add up to the biggest chunk- the whole thing!
The chunking method: Based on the scientific principle that we remember things best in small chunks, then put together in bigger chunks. Think of your phone number- you remember 3+3+4, not 10 numbers. Smaller groups are easier to get right. Your chunks should be 3-11 words long. If you have a sentence that is longer than that, break it in a logical place- where there is a comma, or a conjunction, or something like that.
Start at the beginning of your monologue. Look at the first sentence. Is it 3-11 words? If so, that is chunk A! If not, break it into a logical first part that can be A.
EXAMPLE:
CHUNK A B C
My daddy gets me what I want, when I want it. Some say I
D E
might be spoiled, but I just think it’s love with benefits. But when I
F G
heard of these golden tickets I just had to get one. A trip to Willy
Wonka’s Chocolate Factory!
Steps for memorizing:
- Chunk A-60 seconds. MEMORIZE A for 1 minute. Science has shown that we remember 30% of what they read and 60% of what they say, so say chunk A quietly out loud- it will help you remember it!
- CHECK YOURSELF. If you make ANY mistakes, go back and work on A again! Getting this word for word correct is important. If you did get it right, go on to…
- Chunk B: 60 seconds. B needs to be adjacent (right next to) A. Don’t pick a new chunk in the third paragraph- pick the phrase or sentence after A. ONLY WORK ON B BY ITSELF. Don’t worry about A.
- CHECK!
- Memorize A+B- should be easy! 30 seconds!
- CHECK!
- Now, go on to Chunk C-60 seconds! Again, this should be next to B. Again, DO NOT worry about A or B- JUST work on C.
- CHECK!
- Chunk D- 60 seconds!
- CHECK!
- C+D-30 seconds
- CHECK!
- A+B+C+D-30 seconds.
- CHECK!
WHY DO I NEED TO IGNORE CHUNK A WHEN I WORK ON B?
Great question! It probably seems logical, after you learn A, to just tack on B on top of it. After all, they are right next to each other, they go together, and eventually you need to do both of them, so might as well start now, right?
Well, for B, that would make sense. Maybe even for C. But look at this
A
A+B
A+B+C
A+B+C+D
A+B+C+D+E+……Z
By the time you get to Z, at the end of your monologue, you will be SO AMAZING at A. But… you’ll be pretty terrible at X,Y, and Z. After all, you will have practiced then 25 fewer times. You want to know all of your monologue equally well, not just the beginning. So that requires spending equal, separate time on each chunk. THEN put the chunks into context in bigger and bigger chunks, until they add up to the biggest chunk- the whole thing!