(Pronounced "ne-mon'-ics")

The art of assisting the memory,

by using a system of artificial aids
USE OF MNEMONICS FOR EFFECTIVE
TEACHING

A.S.Nene & V.S.Landge

Artificial aids

• Rhymes,
• Rules,
• Phrases
• Diagrams,
• Acronyms
• Other devices
 From childhood to old age
one uses this technique knowingly or unknowingly.

Government also uses this technique

Abstract concepts, principles and ideas.

Hard for students to comprehend.

 Remove a misconception that

Geotechnical engineering subjects

are descriptive and less scoring

Teaching-learning is a two way process
Unless every student learns,
the process is incomplete.
One picture is worth thousand words
a Chinese proverb.
MAIN LEARNING STYLES

Visual

Auditory

Kinesthetic
 Visual Learners

Visual learners relate most effectively to

written information, notes, diagrams and

pictures.

Visual learners make up around 65% of the

population.

You will find such learners sitting on first

5 to 6 benches
Auditory Learners

Auditory learners relate most effectively

to the spoken word.

Auditory learners make up about

30% of the population.

You will find such learners sitting on Middle

three benches
 Kinesthetic Learners

Kinesthetic Learners learn effectively

through touch and movement and space,
and learn skills by imitation and practice
Kinesthetic learners make up around
5% of the population.

You will find such learners sitting on

Last benches
Senses of Perception

Use all the senses to code information or

dress up an image.
Ask the students to use all senses
of perceptions to learn new things,

Plasticity of fine grained soils

Knead and roll a wet soil mass

Use clay and fly-ash samples
 Innovative Questions

Use humor, Funny or peculiar things

Name the curve which is plotted as a

straight line!

Flow curve
 Enigmatic questions

Enigmatic questions are very difficult to forget !

What is common / uncommon between

Foot & Footing?

Both transfer loads to earth but

one is above and
other is below the ground
 Rude Rhymes
Rude rhymes are very difficult to forget.

A for Atterberg,
B for Boussinesq,
C for Coulomb and
D for Darcy
Models
Bringing three dimensions & movement to an image
makes it more vivid.

Show models in the class room itself.

Arrange model competitions with subjects such as

• Plate/pile load test,
• Dewatering techniques,
• Construction with Geosynthetics etc.
Positive, Pleasant Images.
The brain often blocks out unpleasant ones.
Vivid, colorful images are easier to remember
than drab ones.
Use well drawn colored charts.. Use cartoons
 Exaggeration

Exaggerate the size of important parts of

the image

Use Appropriate Symbols

 Three Dimensions and Movement

Three dimensions and movement

to an image makes it more vivid.

 Mnemonics of Ancient India

Vedic literature (Veda, Puranas & Upnishadas)

could be preserved as it is in poetic form with
strict grammatical rules.

Things were named to indicate its quality

Copper Sulphate - Mayurgriva- Green as neck of a
peacock

Each of Digits 0 to 9 has hundreds of alternate

names 1- Sun, Moon, 2 Hands, eyes etc
 CONCLUSION

Mnemonics is a very useful tool

for educators and students
 For any suggestions

Contact
Dr.A.S.Nene
M4 Laxmi Nagar,
Nagpur (India) 440022
Email: nene_ashok@yahoo.com