Writing from Memory Activities: Retrieval Practice for Long-term Memory

Introduction: Painful but Most Effective Power of ‘Retrieval’

It is comfortable to open a book and read while underlining. But it is painful to close the book and write down what you just read on a blank paper. Neuroscientifically, this ‘pain’ is a signal that the brain is strengthening memory. Here are 9 ‘Writing from Memory’ activities, the most powerful way to switch from Input-centered study to Output-centered (Retrieval) study.

15. Memory Brain Writing

Sometimes collective intelligence is more powerful than remembering alone.

Method:
1. Group members each take a piece of paper.
2. Write down what comes to mind about the topic (e.g., “Causes and Results of the Imjin War”) for 1 minute.
3. Pass the paper to the person next to you.
4. Read what the person in front wrote, and add or supplement new contents that didn’t come to mind.
Point: A Synergy effect occurs where I expand my memory using other friends’ memories as hints.

16. Blackboard Filling

The whole classroom becomes one giant notebook.

Method:
1. 5 minutes before the end of class, divide the blackboard into sections.
2. Students come forward and freely write key words, formulas, drawings, etc. learned today on the blackboard.
3. After everyone writes, check together if there are any missing contents.
Point: Passive students can also participate without burden, and it increases the sense of accomplishment of the whole class.

17. Blackboard Relay

It is a game that requires speed and accuracy at the same time.

Method:
1. Divide into two teams and stand in a line in front of the blackboard.
2. When the teacher presents a topic, run out from the front person and write down what was learned one by one.
3. Duplicate contents cannot be written, and the team that writes more within the time limit wins.
Point: It becomes training to retrieve memory quickly in tension.

18. Memory Bingo

It is an activity to structure and rearrange what was learned.

Method:
1. Fill in the 9-space bingo board with key words learned today. (However, must write from memory without looking at the book.)
2. Instead of erasing the words the teacher calls, it can be modified to be erased only when “Active explanation is heard and the correct answer is guessed”.
Point: It makes them reflect on the meaning rather than simply writing words.

19. Paper Tearing Bingo

It is a super simple bingo that can be done immediately when there are no materials.

Method:
1. Prepare a piece of A4 paper or any paper.
2. Fold the paper to make 9 or 16 spaces.
3. Write what was learned in each space, and whenever bingo happens, tear the corresponding space by hand to make a hole.
Point: The act of tearing paper itself gives students pleasure and relieves stress.

20. One Mind Top 10 Game

It is a game to guess the ranking of ‘the most important thing’ our class thinks.

Method:
1. Write down and submit your own answer to the question “What are the 3 most important keywords in today’s class?”.
2. While tallying, students predict the keywords from 1st to 10th place overall.
3. Check how much the actual aggregate result matches the ranking you predicted.
Point: Train the ability to ‘distinguish between important and unimportant things’, the core of metacognition, through games.

21. Keyword Relay

Link what was learned tail to tail like a word chain game.

Method:
1. The first student says one word learned today. (e.g. “Triangle”)
2. The next student must explain content related to that word or say another related word. (e.g. “The sum of internal angles is 180 degrees”)
Point: Make the Connectionism between knowledge strong.

22. Mentimeter Word Cloud

Use digital devices to give immediate visualization effects.

Method:
1. Utilize tools like Mentimeter.
2. When students input what they learned with smartphones, a ‘Word Cloud’ where frequently input words appear larger is created in real time.
Point: Visual stimulation is great because you can grasp the thoughts and learning flow of the whole class at a glance.

It is the calmest and deepest time to wrap up the class.

Method:
1. 3 minutes before the end of class, verify the contents in exactly 3 lines in the ‘Today’s Learning Notebook’.
2. And add one line of ‘newly learned points’ or ‘more curious points’.
3. Exchange and read what you wrote with a partner or take turns presenting.
Point: It is a process of Internalization of learning through self-reflection.

Conclusion

There is a saying, “Records beat memories.” However, from a metacognition perspective, I want to change it to say “Only what is retrieved and recorded becomes truly mine.” Even if it is bothersome and hard, please teach children the courage to close the book and face a blank page.

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