Learning by rote or memorisation

Learning by rote or memorisation used to be a much more popular method of learning in schools than it is nowadays.  An article in the UK's Sunday Times a couple of years ago stated that the "Google generation has no need for rote learning".  It said that memorising facts was largely a waste of time when these facts are so easily obtainable now at the click of a button.  But wouldn't that argument make the majority of what we learn in schools unnecessary?  Let's skip Primary School - if you want to know what you missed - just Google it!

The argument against rote learning or memorisation is that it does not teach meaning or give any understanding of how things have been worked out or achieved.  In many countries, like the UK, USA and Australia, there has been a move away from rote learning in schools for this very reason. Students are taught to learn in a more 'active' way - understanding processes and reasoning rather than just learning facts.  Other countries, like Brazil, China and Japan still rely heavily on rote learning in schools. 

Some things are learnt by rote when we are very young - our ABCs for one - are learnt through repetition.  I certainly remember memorising things at school, my times tables for one.
My mum can still recite poems she learnt at school, and also tell you the formula for solving quadratic equations - facts that were learnt by rote at school.  Rote learning does work .

I don't remember learning any poems at school myself, but last year our eldest daughter brought home new poems and rhymes every week as part of her reading homework from school.  Each week she would read all the poems over, and then add the new one at the end.  After several weeks she could repeat most of the poems without reading them.  She enjoyed demonstrating this ability to us by placing the book in another room while she told us the rhymes!  Rote learning can be enjoyable and rewarding!

Learning things through memorisation is an important skill.  Memory is a skill that needs to be practised - just as your body needs exercise to stay in good condition, so does your brain.

Personally I think rote learning or memorisation is an excellent way of learning.  It doesn't have to be dull for kids. For example there are many fun ways to practice your times tables. Music and games can be used to assist in memorisation of important basic facts and skills that will be of benefit to kids as they progress through school, and indeed life.

I have written an e book on teaching your kids times tables in 5 minutes a day. This book is based on how we are teaching our daughters their times tables - making memorisation and rote learning fun!
If you would like a FREE copy of this book - then click on the link at the top of our sidebar here to sign up!

I've also made a neat little hanging pocket organiser for the memory games if you're interested in that too:


What do you remember that you learned by rote at school?  Are your kids learning this way now? Do you agree that it's a good method of learning for some things?




Calculators


We all need and use calculators, and of course it is important for kids to learn how to use them, but how early should they be introduced in schools? 


Recently when I dropped our eldest daughter at school - she showed me some of her work and I watched her calculate the total land size of Australia by adding up the land size of each individual state and territory.  She did this with a calculator and her teacher did not question this.

My first thought was that when I was her age - my father (a maths teacher) would not have let me use a calculator for basic addition - I would have had to use pen and paper and work it out that way.  I wanted to tell my daughter to do the same - was it just lazy to use the calculator?  This daughter is 8 years old (Grade 3 at school).


It's not so much the issue of whether or not calculators should be available for kids to use - but it is whether or not they are still learning basic mathematical skills using nothing more than their brains, pencils and paper.  


Progress in technology has meant that calculators have become more widely used than in previous generations.   When I finished school - and took my final mathematics exams, I was allowed the use of a calculator - and I remember my parents telling me they weren't allowed calculators for their final maths exams.  Does this mean that their maths skills were better than mine?  Or is it just that maths education has evolved to allow for students using calculators - and so pushes them in different ways.


Students now do a large amount of their essay and report work on the computer - which has a spell check facility. They are not expected to check their spelling themselves with a dictionary.  It is the same principal in maths - students can use calculators rather than having to work everything out in their heads or on paper.

In my opinion, the most important thing is to make sure that kids can do basic mathematical calculations in their heads - so they can see if the answers they obtain on the calculator is a sensible answer - it is very easy to press and extra or wrong button on the calculator so making the answer much larger or smaller than it should be. 

When I see someone reaching for a calculator to work out 20 x 1, or 56 x 0 for example - I do cringe.  For such simple calculations it takes longer to put the numbers into the calculator than it takes to think of the answer yourself!   I believe that basic facts like times tables should still be learnt - as they are used throughout your life - and if you learn them well as a child - you should remember them for life.


I think perhaps the increased use of calculators has resulted in a lowering of basic numeracy skills which I feel is a very negative outcome.   I would prefer our kids to have both excellent numeracy skills and be able to use a calculator for more advanced problems. 

I recently explored the use of abacuses in other countries - and just how amazing numeracy skills can be with the use of them. 

Calculators, along with many other advances in technology, have brought great benefits with them, but I think it's important that they add to our skills rather than just replace them!

Do your kids use calculators?  Do you?  Do you remember when you started using them in school?