Testing creates all sorts of stress for kids, even those who receive extra help in a quiet, supported setting instead of the classroom with the rest of the kids. We offer accommodations with the best of intentions, hoping to help them perform better.
But memory can be tricky. Here’s why the move might actually make retrieval harder. Episodic memory takes in the total learning environment through all the senses and wraps it up in a package. The level of light in the room, the sort of chair or desk they’re sitting in, any colorful or informative bulletin boards or posters, and the social environment of students and teachers. Without realizing it, students may rely on those episodic cues to recall information they’ve learned. When they leave the room, those cues stay behind.
But they don’t have to. Using what we know about learning can help reduce the problem. We can plan ahead, adding portable elements to the teaching and learning environment. Students can take these things along when they go somewhere else for testing.
Music CDs can create an effective portable background if they are played during teaching and study time. It might help to play them in shuffle setting so the sequence doesn’t become a distracting memory factor.
A “Sock Buddy” can be helpful, as described by Tammy Bauer who participated in the Brain Coaching for Optimal Learning seminar in Louisville KY. She has students bring in a tube sock at the beginning of the year and turn it into a puppet. They choose the animal, but a snake works well. The face can be made from fabric, buttons or with markers. Beans, rice, or something else poured inside provides weight. Of course, the end be sewn or fastened securely. The child decides how and when to use the puppet, as long as it stays quietly on the shoulder, around the neck, on the lap or wherever they believe it helps them concentrate. Let it become an ordinary part of the learning environment before teaching time so it’s not a distraction. Help them check to see if it helps their learning or gets in the way by asking comprehension questions. Thanks so much, Tammy, for sharing your idea!
Other sensory “fidgets” or elements can accomplish the same effect. Remember the Proprioceptive and Kinesthetic senses in addition to the typical five senses we think of all the time. An exercise or stability ball, a weighted vest or belt can also offer security wherever they go. Of course, appropriate visual cues or even a safe source of scent can provide a learning boost as long as it’s introduced during the initial learning.
Anchor children’s learning to consistent sensory cues for easier and more complete recall when they find themselves in a different setting for testing. Turn the potentially troublesome shift into another support situation. Student success can be portable, with creative solutions.
© Sandra Sunquist Stanton MS, NCC, LPC, Connections of the Heart LLC
For additional articles and information, visit www.ourbrainbuddies.com or send an email sandi@ourbrainbuddies.com