FIRSTLetter Mnemonic Strategy

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FIRST-Letter Mnemonic Strategy

• The Learning Strategy Series
• 2002
• The University of Kansas
• Center for Research on Learning
• Lawrence, Kansas

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FIRST-Letter Mnemonic Strategy Results
Controlled Information
Grade-Appropriate Information
51
58
Pretest
93
82
Posttest
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Definition for a List

• A list has a main idea heading and several items
  that are related to the heading.
• Example
• The Senses (Main Idea Heading)
• Sight
• Hearing
• Smell (Items related
• Taste to the heading)
• Touch

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Steps for Designing a Mnemonic Device

• Step 1 Form a word
• Step 2
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Example Lists
LIST 1 Films in which John Wayne Died Sands of
Iwo Jima The Fighting Seabees Alamo Reap
the Wild Wind Shootist
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Steps for Designing a Mnemonic Device

• Step 1 Form a word
• Step 2 Insert a letter(s)
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Example Lists
LIST 2 Scientific Objects that Have Never Been
Seen Black holes Antimatter Cosmic rays Earths
core
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Steps for Designing a Mnemonic Device

• Step 1 Form a word
• Step 2 Insert a letter(s)
• Step 3 Rearrange the letters
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Example Lists (Cont.)
LIST 3 Deserts Mohave Sahara Thar Arabian
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Steps for Designing a Mnemonic Device

• Step 1 Form a word
• Step 2 Insert a letter(s)
• Step 3 Rearrange the letters
• Step 4 Shape a sentence
• Step 5

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Example Lists (Cont.)
LIST 4 Famous People who Ran Away from Home Davy
Crockett Cary Grant Bob Dylan Danny Kaye Neil
Diamond
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Steps for Designing a Mnemonic Device

• Step 1 Form a word
• Step 2 Insert a letter(s)
• Step 3 Rearrange the letters
• Step 4 Shape a sentence
• Step 5 Try combinations

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More Example Lists
The F step Example Mammals Rabbit Opossum Shrew
Elephant
The I step Types of Blood Vessels Capillaries Ar
teries Veins
The R step Defenses Against Diseases Create
immunity Apply chemicals Keep clean Sewage
disposal Eliminate bugs
The S step Reasons Why Flowering Plants Are the
Most Successful Plants Broad leaves Deep
roots Efficient vascular systems Quick
reproduction
The T step Characteristics of
Birds Feathers Wings Beaks Eggs No teeth
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Study Card
Front of Card
Back of Card
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Study Card
What are Example Mammals?
Front of Card
ROSE What are Rabbit Opossum Shrew Elephant ?
Back of Card
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The Memory Chain
Using the FIRST Strategy transforms a
potentially weak link between a list heading and
the list items into a chain of very strong links.
Heading
Picture
Device
Letters
Items
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FIRST QUIZ 1A Name_______________
Date________________ 1. List five fears that
humans have.
FIRST QUIZ 1B Name_______________ Date_________
_______ 1. What countries have low infant death
rates?
FIRST QUIZ 1D Name_________________ Date_______
___________ 1. List five common diseases for
humans.
FIRST QUIZ 1C Name_______________ Date_________
_______ 1. What rights do you have as a U.S.
citizen?
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Steps for Making and Mastering Lists

• Step 1 Look for clues
• Step 2
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Word Clues

• A number Classes Differences
• (e.g., five)
• First, Second, etc. Categories Similarities
• Many Groups Functions
• Several Steps Jobs
• Kinds Stages Uses
• Types Ways Causes
• Parts Roles Effects
• Elements Features Sources
• Members Characteristics Products
• Divisions Examples Reasons

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Other Clues

• Headings
• (Main heading Kinds of stems
• Subheadings Woody stems
• Herbaceous stems)
• Highlighted print
• (Colors, italics, bold-face print, capital
  letters)
• Illustrations with labels
• (Diagrams, maps, pictures, tables, charts)

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Other Clues (Cont.)

• Same word used as a second word
• Air-borne diseases
• Food-borne diseases
• Water-borne diseases
• Contact diseases
• Words that seem similar in some way
• Epidemic
• Endemic
• Pandemic

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Other Clues (Cont.)

• Items in a series separated by commas
• (Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch)
• Numbers in a sequence followed by a word(s)
• We get these products from the stems 1) wood,
  2) paper, 3) food, and 4) liquids.

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Other Clues (Cont.)

• Letters in alphabetical sequence followed by a
  word(s)
• The classes of fungi include
• a) Phycomycetes, b) Ascomycetes,
• c) Basidiomycetes, and d) Fungi Imperfecti.

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Importance Clues

• Teacher says you must know information for a test
• (You need to know the six parts of a woody stem
  for Fridays test.)
• Teacher writes a list on the board
• Teacher writes a list on a study guide
• Study guide question asks for a list
• (What are the six parts of the woody stem?)

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Importance Clues (Cont.)

• Question at the end of chapter asks for a list
• (What are the parts of the respiratory system?)
• Introductory points at the beginning of a chapter
  indicate a list exists.
• (Goal You will gain an understanding of the
  parts of the respiratory system and how they
  work.)

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Requirements for Headings

• 1. Must summarize
• 2. Must be separated from list
• 3. Must be short
• 4. Must be accurate
• 5. Must be limiting

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Steps for Making and Mastering Lists

• Step 1 Look for clues
• Step 2 Investigate the items
• Step 3
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Requirements for List Items

• 1. Must be related to the heading
• 2. Must be short
• 3. Must be accurate
• 4. Must be useful
• 5. Must not be repetitive
• 6. Must be parallel to other items
• 7. Must not make the list too long

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Example Lists
List 2 Skin Functions Protects the
body Regulates body temperature Sense organ
List 1 Digestion What is it? How does it
work? The parts of it. What it runs on.
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Example Lists (Cont.)
List 4 Kinds of muscles Smooth muscle Cardiac
muscle Skeletal muscle
List 3 Skin Functions Main function Second
function Third function
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Example Lists (Cont.)
List 6 Human Bones
List 5 Muscles Smooth muscle Uterus Embryo Involu
ntary Cardiac muscle Skeletal muscle Temporalis Ma
sseter
Radius Fibula Ulna Tibia Humerus
Tarsals Carpals Metatarsals Metacarpals
Phalanges Phalanges Patella
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Steps for Making and Mastering Lists

• Step 1 Look for clues
• Step 2 Investigate the items
• Step 3 Select a mnemonic device using
  FIRST
• Step 4
• Step 5

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Steps for Making and Mastering Lists

• Step 1 Look for clues
• Step 2 Investigate the items
• Step 3 Select a mnemonic device using
  FIRST
• Step 4 Transfer the information to a card
• Step 5

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Steps for Making and Mastering Lists

• Step 1 Look for clues
• Step 2 Investigate the items
• Step 3 Select a mnemonic device using
  FIRST
• Step 4 Transfer the information to a card
• Step 5 Self-test

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Generalization Instruction

• Orientation Phase
• Activation Phase
• Adaptation Phase
• Maintenance Phase

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ORAL QUIZ SCORE SHEET Student________________
_ Date_________________ Answers to
questions about naming the list
items. Question Correct Incorrect 1.__________
_____________________ _______ ________ 2.
._______________________________ _______ ________
3. ._______________________________ _______ ______
__ 4. ._______________________________ _______ ___
_____ 5. ._______________________________ _______
________ 6. ._______________________________ _____
__ ________ Answers to questions about
spelling. Question Correct Incorrect 1.______
_________________________ _______ ________ 2.
._______________________________ _______ ________
3. ._______________________________ _______ ______
__ Answers to questions about list items
(definitions, relationships, etc.) Question Co
rrect Incorrect 1._______________________________
_______ ________ 2. ._____________________________
__ _______ ________ 3. .__________________________
_____ _______ ________ 4. ._______________________
________ _______ ________ 5. .____________________
___________ _______ ________ Calculating the
score



Number correct
(Mastery 80)
Number of questions asked
39
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