How’s your memory? Most people over 50 or even younger groan when asked that question. But memory is of course essential in learning Spanish, learning any language, or learning anything.
I remember noticing in high school and college that my memory operated a bit differently from that of many of my friends. I was able to pick things up quickly — which was great back then for not having to study much — but I also forgot them more easily.
Now I understand why, and it’s a key for you as well in learning Spanish: review is essential for things to become lodged in our long-term memories. I have blogged about this before and no doubt I will again because it’s really important. It’s one reason I recommend using a program for learning Spanish, instead of a little bit of this or that here and there. All good programs have the review process embedded in their schedules.
So when I learned things so easily back then, I didn’t review much. Now I review. Does that mean that I can remember things easily? Ha. I have to review a good bit.
And I do a lot of little memory devices. For example, last week a couple of Mexican men came over to talk with my husband about earthbag building. (Link to my husband’s site on the topic.) I knew one of them well but had never met the other. We were introduced. I said his name out loud, to try to get it to stick.
A little later, I thought it was Chulo and called him that — to laughter. Chulo means handsome, which I knew but hadn’t remembered in the moment. His name was Chalo. So I said “Chalo el chulo” to more laughter, but it was beginning to stick in my mind (and he is chulo). I noticed that Chalo comes alphabetically before Chulo. When I pictured Chalo doing the cha cha, I had everything I needed to remember his name, and since then I have.
There are actually many ways that we can work around apparent weaknesses in our memories. Reviewing, flash cards, and silly memory devices are three important ones for learning Spanish.
