order they would be Africa, Antarctica, Asia, Australia in that order. The student would find no continents starting with the letters, B, C, or D so these letters are skipped. There is a continent starting with the letter E and that is Europe. The student would find no continents starting with the letters, F, G, H, I, J, K L or M so these letters are skipped. There is a continent starting with the letter N and that is North America. The student would find no continents starting with the letters, O, P, Q, or R so these letters are skipped. There is a continent starting with the letter S and that is South America. This makes the seventh continent, so once these are learned in order, the task of recalling and naming the seven continents in ABC order is complete.
Flashcards are used to help the student remember the information. To create the flashcards, print the letter of the alphabet on the front of the card and the word that begins with that letter on the back of the card. A graphic representation of the word may also be used for unfamiliar words. Apps like StudyBlue can also be used to create flashcards for the ABC Memory strategy. When there are multiple items for a particular letter, such as A for the continents, the four A cards in alphabetical order could be numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4.
Start by having the student learn the word on the back of the card that corresponds to the letter on the front for the seven cards, in alphabetical order (i.e., letters A–Z). Have the student follow the steps below to commit the words to memory:
Read the letter (A) on the front of the card and the word (e.g., Africa) on the back of the card.
Say the letter (A) on the front of the card and the word (e.g., Africa) on the back of the card.
Look at the letter on the front of the card (A), and without turning the card over, state the word (continent) associated with that letter (e.g., A—Africa).
Put the card out of sight and think about the letter on the front of the card (A). Without looking at the card, say the continent associated with that letter (e.g., A—Africa). If successful, proceed to the next letter. If unsuccessful, go back to the first step and follow the steps until successful.
After successfully learning the first card, proceed to the second card and follow the same steps to learn it. Once learned, include the previous cards for review.
Continue until the words on all seven cards have been memorized. Going forward, always include the previous cards for review while the student is learning the new cards. This builds success for the student.
Commit to memory by saying the name of the continents faster and faster. This step also improves processing speed.
The student will find this process motivating when he or she sees how much easier it is to learn and remember information. Our data from 2008 through 2012 showed students remembering up to twenty items in a week’s time using this strategy. Often, no more than seven letters as in the seven continents will be used, but for other lists additional letters can be added following the same process. It is important to continuously review the cards already learned as the student continues to add more cards and words to his or her memory bank.
FIGURE 2.2 ABC Memory Strategy for a List
FIGURE 2.3 ABC Memory Strategy Process
Can You See It in Your Mind Association Strategy?
You have some terms you need to remember. Using the same cards, let’s pair them with something you know well. Think of a place you can visualize such as your bedroom. Associate the first term with something or someplace in your room. Imagine the spear for Africa on the dresser, the stuffed penguin for Antarctica by the lamp, and a stuffed panda bear for Asia in the corner. Then when it is time to remember the names of the continents, in your mind, look around your room for the items. This will help you recall the names (Strosnider, Sharpe, & Weaver, 2017).
FIGURE 2.4 Can You See It in Your Mind Association Strategy
GOP Strategy for Elementary Students
GOP is a mnemonic strategy for remembering the steps of the process of unpacking materials for class. It is also helpful to use with students who have difficulty transitioning from one subject to another or one classroom to another.
There are three steps of GOP for the beginning of class:
1 Get your backpack and take out your notebook.
2 Open your notebook to the pocket inside the front cover.
3 Place your Strategy Ring or Strategy Cards on your desk.
FIGURE 2.5 GOP Strategy Card for Elementary Students
GOP Strategy for Secondary Students
GOP is a mnemonic strategy for remembering the steps of the process of recording homework assignments.
There are three steps of GOP for the beginning of class:
1 Get your notebook.
2 Open your notebook to the homework page.
3 Put the assignment in the homework column.
OR
1 Get your device.
2 Open your phone to the homework app or to the camera.
3 Put your homework assignment in the app or take a photo of the assignment.
FIGURE 2.6 GOP Strategy Card for Secondary Students
Concrete External Storage Systems
Cooper-Kahn and Dietzel (2008) suggest using concrete storage systems to help students remember information. A concrete external storage system differs from the normal visuals provided in the classroom for all students in that it can be personalized, and the student does not have to differentiate it from all the posted classroom visuals. The idea behind this strategy is to have students store their thoughts in a physical place from which they can be easily retrieved. Examples of concrete external storage systems include to-do lists, oral information put into notes, cues for listening, technology such as Mindjet Manager, templates for different types of assignments, photos (see clean desk photo—Image 2.2 below), and dictated responses. In terms of photos, we have found students respond well to personalized photos as short-term memory prompts. An example is provided below. Students, using devices, can take photos and store the pictures. Instant cameras can be used in the classroom to document papers and materials.
Prewriting Graphic Organizers
Writing
