This newsletter has been created to inform and educate people about current
findings that can help a struggling reader. We also hope that the content of
the newsletter will inspire those who struggle, that there is hope.
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The Reading Corner
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Mnemonic Devices to Help with Memory
"Mnemonic" is another word for memory tool. Mnemonics are techniques for remembering
information that is otherwise quite difficult to recall; a very simple example is the
'30 days hath September' rhyme for remembering the number of days in each calendar month.
Imagination is what you use to create and strengthen the associations needed to create
effective mnemonics. Your imagination is what you use to create mnemonics that are potent
for you. The more strongly you imagine and visualize a situation, the more effectively it
will stick in your mind for later recall.
There are several mnemonic devices that can be used, like acronyms, rhymes, patterns,
chunking or grouping, imagery, and peg-word systems. An acronym is a word formed from
the first letters or groups of letters in a name or phrase. A rhyme is a saying that
has similar terminal sounds at the end of each line. Rhymes are easier to remember,
because they can be stored by acoustic encoding. Grouping, chunking, and patterns are
probably the most widely used and most successful approaches to help with memory. If
you are able to group or chunk what you need to remember into categories, you process the
information in more depth, because you are adding meaning to what you are learning. Anytime
we add meaning, we are more likely to remember new information. Imagery is when you create
a mental picture that you use to connect items and attach meaning--the more vivid the image,
the better. The peg-word system attaches a visual with a list by connecting the word with
another object.
Any material that is taught with these devices of organization will more likely be remembered
and more easily stored and retrieved from short- and long-term memory. Use these devices when
learning/memorizing new information. Look for programs that use these tools to aid in
learning. Click here to see how Discover Intensive Phonics uses patterns, grouping, and
imagery to help in learning the method.
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Famous Dyslexic Spotlight
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This section contains names of famous or recognized people who have been reported in the media,
on the Web, and in books as having some form of dyslexia or struggling in school.
Tommy Hilfiger
- Clothing designer
- Clothing designer
Tommy Hilfiger is one of the top clothing designers of this generation, in the same company as
designers like Perry Ellis, Ralph Lauren, and Calvin Klein. He founded Tommy Hilfiger, Inc., after
a few disappointing previous ventures went bad, and he built the company into the empire it is
today.
"I performed poorly at school, when I attended, that is, and was perceived as stupid because of my
dyslexia. I still have trouble reading. I have to concentrate very hard at going left to right,
left to right, otherwise my eye just wanders to the bottom of the page."
In reference to his being the class clown: "I didn't want anyone to know that I didn’t get it."
- Tommy Hilfiger
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Inspiration
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"I am convinced that learning to read does not have to be such a frustrating experience."
- Barbara Janasz, Elk River, Minnesota
View more success stories.
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Product Highlight
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Mastery, Drill, and Practice sessions, including 2,800 words, follow each lesson to
help students internalize the skills learned in the lesson. Students phonetically decode
each word and have the option of recording it and playing it back to compare their pronunciation
with the narrator's. This feature of the software is great for additional practice and reinforcement
to ensure that the skills learned become automatic.
Click here to find out how you can save!