Did you know? A child with DYS can spend hours learning a lesson, only to be unable to recall it a few days later. Though popular, classic memorisation strategies don’t support long-term learning. Fortunately, once the child’s profile has been identified (auditory, visual, or kinaesthetic), some strategies do work quite well, such as mind maps…
Popular but ineffective memorisation strategies
Whatever their age, children at school mostly use memorisation strategies that give them the illusion of retaining their lesson. Popular as they are, they prove ineffective in the long run.
For example, many children re-read their notes several times to try to remember them. Some will highlight or underline key information, while others prefer to rewrite or even summarise it in notes or tables.
All these strategies seem to work, but shortly after the homework or exam, a large proportion of students have simply forgotten the content of the lessons they learned so conscientiously. For children with DYS, this “leak” just happens faster, wiping out the effort put in to meet the deadline.
Rebuilding memory
If these memorisation strategies don’t stand the test of time, it’s because memory doesn’t work like a tank that you simply fill up. Since information isn’t stored in one specific place, it’s not enough to simply remember it, it has to be rebuilt. Above all, a child needs to focus on UNDERSTANDING their lesson: without this fundamental step, it’s completely unrealistic to try to retain information over the long term.
Next, it’s worth relying on the child’s profile: do they have a visual, auditory or kinaesthetic memory? An auditory profile will get better memorisation results with audio materials (music or spoken word); a visual profile will rely on graphic materials, drawings or videos; a kinaesthetic profile will engage through touch, movement and emotion. For this more unusual profile, memorisation can be boosted through real-life stories, anecdotes that stir emotion, as well as rich, varied materials (in shapes, colours, sizes…), illustrations, photos and animated diagrams…
Mind maps for children with DYS
Mind maps allow a lesson’s content to be illustrated visually, making it easier to understand and structure. In the centre, you simply write the topic of the lesson, before drawing branches out from it (the chapters or key points), which can also hold further branches (examples, expansions of ideas).
This method is a great workaround strategy for the difficulties faced by children with DYS. Whether created by hand or with software, mind maps adapt to how each individual’s brain works, following their sometimes unique logic. Beyond improving memory, they offer a broad, detailed view of a topic, spark a sense of satisfaction, and nurture creativity.
Don’t hesitate to ask for help from a school coach on the Ora-Visio platform : specialised in supporting children with DYS, this professional understands their difficulties and can help them make the most of these kinds of tools, or even suggest others.
