Conversation Class - How good is your memory.pdf

Talk about how good is your memory

1. ESL Brains
How good is your
memory?

2. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Let’s get started
with a warm-up

3. ESL Brains 3
Look at the words and numbers for 30 seconds and try to remember them.
119647 June 6th, 1963 Eleanor Marie Heigl sunset

4. ESL Brains 4
Write down the information you remember
without looking at the boxes.

5. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Let’s talk!

6. ESL Brains 6
Discuss the questions.
●Which piece of information was the hardest to remember?
●Did you do anything to remember the information (e.g. repeat the words, use your
imagination)?
●Would you say you have a good memory in general? How well do you usually
remember the following?
○names
○dates
○appointments
○numbers
●Do you use or have you heard of any mnemonic techniques?
○passwords
○lists (e.g. shopping lists)
○new words in a foreign
language
mnemonic techniques:
(/nɪ’mɒnɪk tek’ni:ks/)
memory tricks which help
you remember something

7. ESL Brains
In a moment, you’ll watch a video about:
a true story
But first…

8. ESL Brains 8
Look at the details in the box and try to predict what the story will be about.
2006 basement
championship Joshua Foer
journalist mnemonic techniques

9. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Watch the video (to 01:23) and check your ideas.

10. ESL Brains
Let’s see a possible answer.
10
Joshua Foer is a journalist who trained to become a mental athlete. He learned
methods like Memory Palaces and other mnemonic techniques and trained for hours
in his parents’ basement. In 2006, he participated in the USA National Memory
Championship® and won.

11. ESL Brains
Match the words with their definitions. Then, say if you think the video is going to
suggest that ‘nature’ or ‘nurture’ is more important in achieving good learning
results.
A.nature
B.nurture
1.the way children are treated
when they are growing up
2.things we are born with
11

12. ESL Brains
Let’s see the answer.
A.nature
B.nurture
1.the way children are treated
when they are growing up
2.things we are born with
12

13. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Watch the rest of the video (from 01:23) and check your answer.

14. ESL Brains
Let’s check the answer.
14
Nurture is more important in achieving good learning results.

15. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Let’s discuss!

16. ESL Brains 16
Discuss the questions.
●Do you agree that nurture is more important than nature when it comes to
memory and learning? Why/Why not?
●How important are these factors for a student who wants to achieve good learning
results?
○natural talent
○after-school activities
○good teachers
●Is technology improving or damaging our memory, in your opinion?
●Do you think anybody could become a mental athlete? Could you? What tips would
you give to someone training for a memory championship?
○access to technology
○eating and sleeping well

17. ESL Brains
It’s grammar time!

18. ESL Brains
18
able can be done; quality comfortable, breakable
er performs action baker, teacher, driver
ful something or someone full of beautiful, careful, hopeful
ing turn verbs into nouns running, jumping, laughing
ion / tion turn verbs into nouns attraction, abortion, union
less without endless, hopeless, tireless
ship state, condition, position partnership, internship
ize turn noun/adjective into verb legalize, memorize
Suffixes are letters added to the end of a word to change its meaning

19. ESL Brains 19
-able -ful -tion-ship -ion
A.Connect words with images: Link information you want to remember with a
photograph or drawing. This will help to make it completely unforgett_____ ,
especially if it’s a new or strange word.
B.Repeat aloud: When you are trying to memor______ information, it helps to say
the information out loud several times.
C.Write notes by hand: You will be more success______ at remembering
information if you take notes by hand, especially if you use different coloured pens
and highlighters.
D.Create stories from words: Linking words together by making up stories is an
effective brain train______ technique because it gives the words meaning.
-ing -ize
unforgettable
memorize
successful
training
part 1/2
Use the correct endings to create words.

20. ESL Brains 20
E.Play memory games: Playing games that involve competi______ can help you pay
more attention and remember details better.
F.Test yourself: Revis______ of what you’ve learnt (e.g. covering your notes and
repeating them, asking a friend to test you) helps you remember the information
and make strong connections in the brain.
G.Memory Palace: This mnemonic technique will help you win any memory
champio_______ ! You need to associate pieces of information with locations in
your imagined palace (or house, town, etc.). Then, just walk through the palace in
your imagination to remember everything.
competition
Revision
championship
-tion-ship -ion
part 2/2
Use the correct endings to create words.

21. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Let’s talk!

22. ESL Brains 22
Read the tips again and discuss the questions.
●Which techniques have you used? What were you trying to learn? Were they useful?
●Which techniques would you like to try?
●Which of these techniques would you recommend to someone who has to do the
following?
○prepare for a biology test
○learn 20 new words in English
○memorize a phone number
○remember details about your colleagues’ lives (names, roles, hobbies,
families)
○memorize a recipe (including steps and ingredients)

23. ESL BrainsESL Brains
Let’s discuss!

24. ESL Brains 24
Choose one of the topics below and talk about it for at least a minute.
●an unforgettable lesson
●a story you have memorized
●the time you were successful because you studied a lot
●a tool you used for mental training
●a time when you achieved a high grade without doing any revision
●when competition made you work harder
●reasons why someone might want to participate in a memory championship

25. ESL BrainsESL Brains
THANKS!