The development of the memory of preschool children. Methods of research and development. Experimental study of the features of memory development in children of senior preschool age
Method #1
Target:
Equipment: Pairs of words. In one column there are pairs of words with semantic connections, in the other - pairs of words that are not related in meaning:
- Knife-cut;
- pen-write;
- Pupil-school;
- Chicken-egg;
- Ice skates;
- Sky-cancer;
- Fish-song;
- Boots-table;
- tree-roof;
- Matches-bed.
Research procedure: The teacher invites the child to listen carefully and memorize the words, after which he slowly reads out pairs of words from the 1st column with an interval between a pair of 5 seconds. After 10 sec. break, the left words are read with an interval of 15 seconds, and the child calls the memorized word of the right half of the column. Similar work is carried out with the 2nd column of words.
Results processing: The data from the 1st and 2nd columns are compared, the coefficients of logical and mechanical memory are calculated: the number of correctly reproduced words / 5. The ideal option is 1. It is concluded which words are better to remember with a mechanical or logical connection.
Method #2
Target: Study of visual memory.
Equipment: 20 pictures.
Research procedure: The teacher invites the child to carefully look and remember the pictures (10 pcs.). The interval between the presentation of pictures - 2 seconds. Then you need to take a break - 10 seconds. Next, the teacher mixes the pictures that were presented to the child with new pictures (10 pcs.). Then you need to lay out all 20 pictures on the table. After that, the teacher offers the child to choose and name only those pictures that were shown at the very beginning.
Results processing: The results obtained are expressed as a percentage, and a conclusion is made about the degree of development of visual memory in a child.
Method #3
Target: Study of logical memory and mechanical memory.
Equipment: a short story with clear semantic units, for example, Jackdaw and Doves.
Research procedure: The teacher reads the story and asks the child to reproduce its content.
Results processing: The number and completeness of the reproduced semantic units are counted.
Method #4
Target: To trace the dependence of memorization on personality traits.
Equipment: Words to remember: match, bucket, water, friend, soap, window, school, book, camomile, doll, ice cream, closet, dress, hare, sand.
Research procedure: The teacher invites the child to listen carefully and memorize the words, after which he slowly reads them out with an interval of 5 seconds. After 10 sec. break, the child reproduces the memorized words.
Results processing: When analyzing the results, pay attention to which words are better reproduced by the child. Most often, emotionally colored words or words that are personally significant for the child are remembered better.
Target: The study of the features of logical memory, in particular, the nature of mediated memorization. This technique provides a lot of valuable information about the state of memory and thinking in a child, which can be used to differentiate the SD from the norm or ZPR.
Equipment: 12 words and the same number of related pictures.
Research procedure: A pile of 12 pictures are placed face down in front of the child. Pictures must be put in the order in which the words will be pronounced. The teacher calls the word “play” and invites the child to take the first picture, after which he asks: “Why can you remember the word “play” with this picture (doll)?” The child explains the relationship between the word and the picture, and then puts this picture aside (face down). In the same way, work is carried out with the rest of the pictures and words. At the last stage of the task, the child is asked to take pictures (one at a time) and reproduce the words associated with them. When reproducing words, pictures are not taken in the order in which the child took them when memorizing words.
Results processing: According to L. V. Zankov, normally developing children master the operation of meaningful memorization by the age of 10. Mentally retarded children of this age do not master the techniques of meaningful memorization and recall. The picture only bothers them. Normally developing children of 10 years old remember more meaningfully than mentally retarded children of 15 years of age. Children with imbecility of the indicated age do not even understand the meaning of the proposed task.
A. I. Leontiev)
Target: study of the features of memory (mediated memorization). It provides valuable material for analyzing the nature of thinking, the child's ability to form semantic connections between a word and a visual image (picture).
Equipment: 12 pictures and 6 words to remember.
Research procedure: All 12 pictures are laid out in front of the child in any order, but so that all of them are visible to him. Instruction:“You will need to memorize the words. In order to make it easier to do this, every time I name a word, I need to choose a picture that will later help me remember this word. For example, the picture “glasses” will fit the word “book”, because in order to better (more conveniently) read a book, you need glasses. Next, the child is called words and each time he chooses a picture, he must ask: “How will this picture help memorize the word ... All the cards selected by the child are put aside. After 40 or 60 minutes, the child is randomly shown one picture at a time and asked to remember which word this card was selected for him. At the same time, be sure to ask how you managed to remember this word.
Results processing: It doesn't matter which picture the child chooses. Establishing a connection between a word and a picture is purely individual in nature. It is important that the child establishes a meaningful semantic connection between the word presented for memorization and what is shown in the picture.
A. I. Leontiev proved that in normally developing children of 7 years and older, mediated memorization prevails over direct memorization. With age, this gap increases even more in favor of mediated memorization. By the age of 15, normally developing children can reproduce all 100% of the material presented. Children with poor working capacity memorize material much better with indirect memorization, since the semantic connection creates an additional support for them to memorize. In normally developing children, semantic connections between a picture and a word are formed easily. They talk about the nature of knowledge, ideas and life experience, sometimes with the help of this technique it is possible to draw a conclusion about the child's ability to generalize. In mentally retarded children, difficulties in the formation of connections are manifested in a slow pace of choosing a picture. The connections are poor and monotonous; the explanations given by the children are sparse and monosyllabic. Sometimes there is excessive detail in the enumeration of the details of the picture, and sometimes, having made the right choice of picture, they cannot express the semantic connection in words. Children with imbecility do not understand tasks.
Method #7
Target: determination of the speed of memorization, completeness, accuracy and sequence of reproduction. It turns out the ability to control their actions, to work with concentration and interest.
Equipment: The text "What did Seryozha come up with?".
Research procedure: The child is given the instruction: “Listen carefully to the story. Then tell me about what I'm about to read." The text is read again only if the child is not able to reproduce it after one listening.
Results processing: Normally developing children, as a rule, completely and accurately reproduce the story from the first listening. For mentally retarded children, fragmentary memorization of material is characteristic. When reproduced, they allow inaccuracies, violations of meaning and sequence. They are not always helped in the form of leading questions.
Method #8
Target : Study of the features of visual memory and attention.
Equipment: 5-6 pictures showing objects familiar to children.
Research procedure: The child is offered to carefully look at and memorize 5 (6) pictures that are laid out in front of him on the table in a certain sequence, for 10 seconds. Then the pictures are removed. After 10 sec. the child is offered a new instruction: "Take the pictures and put them the way they were at the very beginning."
Results processing: Normally developing children, as a rule, lay out the pictures in the right order without much difficulty. Mentally retarded children get confused in the arrangement of pictures, experience difficulties.
Method #9
Target: The study of the features of visual memory and attention.
Equipment: 2 identical pictures, differing from each other in some details.
Research procedure: The child is presented with the 1st picture and offered to carefully look at and remember all the objects on it, their number and location (demonstration of the picture - 1 minute). Then the picture is removed. After 10 sec. 2nd picture is presented. Instruction: "What is the difference between the pictures?" or “What has changed?”
Results processing: Correctly named and incorrectly named items are fixed. Normally developing children cope with the task, correctly name objects that were not drawn or that appeared. Mentally retarded children experience great difficulties, they cannot do without help.
Method #10
Target: Assessment of the state of memory, fatigue, activity of attention.
Equipment: 10 words that do not have any semantic connection between them.
Research procedure: First explanation: “Now I will read 10 words. Listen carefully and memorize. When I finish reading, immediately repeat as many words as you can remember. You can repeat in any order. The teacher reads the words slowly and clearly. When the child repeats them, the teacher puts crosses under these words in his protocol. The second explanation: “Now I will read the same words again, and you must repeat them again: both those that you already called (s) and those that you missed (s) the first time - all together, in any order." The teacher again puts crosses under the words that the child reproduces. Then the experiment is repeated for the 3rd, 4th and 5th time, but without any instructions. The teacher simply says, "One more time." If the child calls some extra words, the teacher writes them down next to the crosses, and if they are repeated, puts the crosses under them. There shouldn't be any conversations.
After 50 - 60 minutes, the teacher again asks the child to reproduce these words (without a reminder). These repetitions are indicated by circles.
Protocol of methodology No. 8 of a mentally retarded child
Words Forest Bread Window Chair Water Brother Horse Mushroom Needle Ice
No. of repetitions
№5 + + + + + +
After 1 hour 0 0 0
According to this protocol, a "memorization curve" can be derived.
Processing of results: In normally developing children, the “memorization curve” is approximately as follows: 5, 7, 9 or 6, 8, 9 or 5, 7, 10, etc., i.e., by the third repetition, the child reproduces 9 or 10 words; with subsequent repetitions (not less than 5 times in total), the number of words reproduced is 10. Mentally retarded children reproduce a relatively smaller number of words. They can repeat extra words and get stuck on these mistakes (especially children with current organic brain disease). The “memorization curve” may indicate both a weakening of active attention and pronounced fatigue. Sometimes the "learning curve" can take the form of a "plateau". Such stabilization indicates emotional lethargy, lack of interest (with dementia with apathy).
Method #11
Target: Study of understanding and memorization of texts, features of oral speech of the subjects.
Equipment: Texts: fables, stories that have an allegorical meaning (subtext). They provide an opportunity for further discussion.
Research procedure: The child is asked to listen carefully to the story and memorize it. The teacher reads the text. Then the child reproduces it. The teacher records the oral story verbatim or using a tape recorder (dictaphone). The main attention should be shifted from self-retelling to discussion of the story, that is, to questions and answers about its content.
Results processing: With mild degrees of oligophrenia, a literal, almost correct presentation of the details of the beginning of the story is observed when they do not understand the figurative meaning (subtext) of the story. Normally developing children, as a rule, understand the allegorical meaning (subtext) of the story and reproduce it correctly.
Auditory memory is one of the types of figurative memory, thanks to which we capture auditory images, store them and reproduce them.
At preschool age, involuntary memory prevails in children, in which everything is remembered “by itself”, without the participation of will and consciousness, everything is bright, emotional, interesting, unusual. Arbitrary memory will have to be developed, and without the application of certain efforts this cannot be achieved. You can read more about arbitrary and involuntary memory.
A developed auditory type of memory will be the key to the child's mastering the correct pronunciation of words, intonation of sentences, expressive reading, and spelling. Auditory memory impairment can become a stumbling block when studying the school curriculum, because oral explanations are an important part of learning the material.
The auditory type of memory, like other types of memory, involves the processing of information by the brain: its transformation and storage. In the process of listening, sound stimuli are converted into nerve impulses, transmitted to the brain via the auditory nerve, perceived and processed by the brain; the conscious perception of sounds is also included in the process.
The correct perception of information depends on the ability to determine the source, highlight the main sounds, recognize them, fill in the missing ones. An error at any of the stages will fail and lead to incorrect processing of what was heard.
With the help of various simple tests, you can get an idea of the state of the auditory memory of children, and thanks to games and exercises - to improve its volume.
If the child fails to complete a test task or exercise, it's okay. Try to explain differently or explain again. Even if you are annoyed or upset, do not show this to your baby. You should be his support and support. Many problems and complexes of adults come from childhood, and they are born, among other things, out of fear of being or looking bad, stupid, worst of all, that is, out of self-doubt due to the negative reaction of adults, whose opinion the child values. But praising a child for achievements, even if they are small, is useful. Don't compare him to other kids, rather celebrate his own small victories. If you notice that the baby is having difficulty with the correct construction of sentences - do not be upset and do not upset the child, but do not postpone the consultation with a specialist (speech pathologist-defectologist).
Auditory memory disorders
It happens that a child experiences difficulties in perceiving speech, in separating it from ambient noise, cannot immediately understand tasks and commands received orally, when mastering new words or learning languages. These problems may not be due to a lack of attention or lack of motivation, and may not be the result of bad behavior. Perhaps the reason lies in the auditory disorders of a neurological nature. Auditory processing disorders can be associated with traumatic brain injury, long-term inflammation of the middle ear, birth trauma, and other causes. In such cases, consultation with a specialist is necessary. Treatment, as a rule, includes several areas: improving cognitive and speech skills, improving the perception of auditory information, and improving the quality of the auditory signal.
Auditory memory diagnostics
There are various methods for diagnosing auditory memory, allowing at the household level to accurately determine its condition.
1. Method "10 words" A.R. Luria.
This technique is often used as an express diagnostic of auditory memory. The results obtained make it possible to assess the level of development of auditory memory, and auditory attention, and fatigue, and the level of phonemic hearing. This auditory memory test is used for both middle school children and adults.
Prepare words in advance, for example: table, hare, mirror, tree, wall, fly, feather, star, bird, notebook. Ask your child to listen and memorize this row, and then read the words at intervals of 1-2 seconds. Let him repeat all the words that he managed to remember.
Repeat reading and playback three times, fix the words that were memorized. For the fourth time, the child must remember and repeat in random order all the words in 20-30 minutes.
Results: if the child remembers 4-6 words after the first reading, this is a normal result. If he remembered less, but other words were included in the answer, it is possible that there is a low level of auditory attention.
If he remembered less, but replaced some sounds, phonemic perception may be impaired.
The second and third reproduction after reading is an indicator of the speed of memorization and fatigue of the child.
The fourth reproduction is an indicator of the volume and level of development of long-term memory. Norm - if the child can reproduce two words more or less than it was in the best result after the first three attempts.
2. A simplified version of Luria's auditory memory test:
Repeat a series of 10 words up to 7 times until either the subject has memorized all the words or the decision is made to abort the auditory memory test.
It is considered normal if a person remembers at least 5 words after the first reading. By the fifth repetition, all 10 words should be memorized.
3. Diagnosis of RAM (Vexler subtest "Count").
Stage 1: the subject is called 3 numbers and asked to repeat them, then - 4 numbers, then - five, etc., and so on - until the first mistake.
Stage 2: the same task (repeat the named numbers), but only “back to front”, starting from the last one, that is, in reverse order.
The norm is the memorization of 5-9 digits with a direct count and at least 5 with a reverse one.
4. "Remember two-digit numbers." This method of diagnosing auditory memory is suitable for children of middle and senior school age and for adults.
Prepare 12 two-digit numbers. For example, a set of numbers might be: 22, 17, 43, 21, 14, 49, 56, 71, 86, 15, 61, 76.
Warn the child that he will need to listen and memorize the numbers, and then, after the signal, write down all the numbers that he can remember, in random order, within 30 seconds. Results: the result is considered good if the subject memorized 7 numbers.
5. Diagnosis of auditory memory using literary texts.
In order to test auditory memory, you need to pick up a small plot text, consisting of 10 - 12 simple sentences. It can be, for example, a short story, a fairy tale, a fable for children, and a more complex informative story for adults. The text is read legibly, not too fast, expressively. Then it is reproduced for the first time by the subjects immediately after listening, and again - an hour after it. The norm is considered to be the correct transmission of the plot and 1-2 errors during the first playback, and up to 3-4 errors during the second.
There are other, more complex tests that examine auditory and other types of memory, but their use requires the skills and knowledge of psychologists to explore and interpret the results in more detail. Such tests are usually carried out in specialized institutions.
Exercises for the development of auditory memory
A child cannot do without the help of adults for the successful development of auditory memory. Reading poems, proverbs and sayings aloud intelligibly, slowly and expressively, or listening to age-appropriate audio books is already a good step in this direction. And if the child retells the read passage after ten minutes of reading, this will already be a real exercise for the development of the child's auditory memory. Even just dressing a child, accompany your actions with words. So the baby will learn to compare sounds and actions.
Exercises for kids need to be turned into games, because this is how children are most likely to absorb new knowledge.
- Game "10 pairs"
This game improves concentration and auditory memory. Come up with 10 pairs of words related in meaning in advance. For example: shoes - laces, phone - beep, rain - cloud, plum - compote, pen - notebook, orange - lemon, candy - cookies, bear - lair, hedgehog - needles, house - roof. Read them to your child three times, take your time, speak expressively, emotionally, with intonation. And for the fourth time, read only the first words, and let the child remember and name the second word-pair for each of them.
- Do it like me game
You will need: paper; two glasses, one of which is filled with water; 2 spoons; hammer; bell. Ask the child to close their eyes. After that, perform 3-4 sound actions with prepared objects. For example, pour water several times from glass to glass; jingle spoons against each other; mix one of the spoons with water in a glass; rustle paper, tap a spoon on an empty or full glass.
After that, ask the child to open his eyes, remember the sounds and repeat them from memory.
- The game "Guess what it was?"
Prepare some recordings (for example, use a voice recorder or find suitable recordings on the Internet). For example, it can be the sound of the wind, the roar of the surf, the crackling of firewood in a fire, the singing of birds, the sound of rain, thunder, the sound of applause, the rustle of a wrapper when unwrapping a candy, the crunch of crackers, and so on. Ask the child to guess what it was. Ask him to try to repeat, play with him, make digressions from the game, telling something interesting about these sounds and phenomena.
- The game "Remember and complete"
This game will help increase the amount of auditory memory. The facilitator may start, for example, like this: "I put a book in my briefcase." The second player must repeat this phrase and add his word. For example, like this: "I put a book and a flashlight in my briefcase." The next player each time must repeat everything that was named before him, and supplement with his own word. If there are many players, the one who lost is out of the game, and if there are few, he gets one point. Scored three points - you become an observer. Starting options may vary. For example:
“Today I saw outside the window…”;
"My friend's room has..."
“Behind a high fence they kept…”
“Masha had them in a basket…”
- Variant of the same game:
Start any sentence. For example: "Masha went out into the clearing and saw ...". Let the child repeat what they heard and continue. For example: "Masha went out into the clearing and saw a small hut ...". Further on the same principle: the next player repeats and completes. For example: "Masha went out into the clearing and saw a small hut, around which strawberries grew ...". Keep memorizing and composing until someone fails. This game also helps to increase the amount of auditory memory, but, in addition, develops the imagination.
- "Feel the Rhythm" game
Tap a simple rhythm with your fingertips or the back of a pencil and have your child repeat it. You can, as an option, tap out the rhythm with clapping your palms.
- Guess the ending game
This auditory memory exercise is intended primarily for preschool children. Read short nursery rhymes to your child, but do not say the last word. Let the child guess and name it himself. This is very useful, because the child will have to use vocabulary, rely on logic, take into account rhythm and consonance (rhyme).
More tips and exercises for developing auditory memory can be found. And the game, the link to which you will find here, is designed specifically for training auditory memory.
Memory develops best if it is often used, stimulated, and exercised regularly. You can read more about short-term memory and its development. There are many ways to develop memory, attention and other cognitive functions of the brain. It is very convenient to use for this purpose.
We wish you pleasant care of the child and, of course, success in self-development!
It is very difficult to evaluate all types and features of memory at the same time. In our work, we will describe methods for determining the volume of short-term auditory and visual memory, as well as memory processes.
· Technique "Recognize the figures."
This technique is for learning. Children are shown pictures and given the following instructions:
Before you are 5 pictures (app. 1), arranged in rows. The picture on the left is separated from the rest by a double vertical line and looks like one of the four pictures in a row to the right of it. It is necessary to find and point to a similar picture as soon as possible. The experiment is carried out until the child solves all 10 tasks, but no longer than 1.5 minutes. even if the child has not completed all the tasks by this time.
Evaluation of results:
10 points - the child completed the tasks in less than 45 seconds. (very high level of development)
8-9 points - the child coped with all tasks in 45-50 seconds. (high level of development)
6-7 points - for 50-60 seconds. (medium level of development)
4-5 points - for 60-70 seconds. (medium level of development)
2-3 points - for 70-80 seconds. (low level of development)
0-1 point - more than 80 sec. (very low level of development)
· Technique "Remember the drawings."
To determine the amount of short-term visual memory. Children receive pictures as incentives (app. 2a) they are given instructions:
This picture shows 9 different figures. Try to remember them, and then find out in another picture (Appendix 2b). The exposure time of the stimulus picture is 30 sec. After that, this picture is removed from the field of view of the child and a second one is offered to him. The experiment continues until the child recognizes all the images, but no longer than 1.5 minutes.
Evaluation of results:
10 points - the child recognized all nine images in the picture in less than 45 seconds. (very high level of development)
8-9 points - the child recognized 7-8 images in 45-55 seconds. (high level of development)
6-7 points - the child recognized 5-6 images in 55-65 seconds. (medium level of development)
4-5 points - the child recognized 3-4 images in 65-75 seconds. (medium level of development)
2-3 points - the child recognized 1-2 images in 75-85 seconds. (low level of development)
0-1 point - the child did not recognize a single image in the picture for 90 seconds. (very low level of development)
· Method "Remember the numbers".
A technique for determining the volume of short-term auditory memory. Instruction: now I will call you the numbers, and you repeat them after me immediately after I say the word “repeat”.
Sequentially reading a series of numbers from top to bottom to the child (Appendix 3a), with an interval of 1 second, the experimenter asks the child to repeat after him. This continues until the child makes a mistake. If a mistake is made, then the adjacent row of numbers is repeated, located on the right (Appendix 3b) and consisting of the same number of numbers as the one in which the mistake was made, and asks the child to reproduce it. If the child is mistaken twice, then this part of the experiment ends, the length of the previous row is noted, at least once completely and unmistakably pronounced, and they proceed to reading the rows of numbers following in the opposite order - decreasing (Appendix 4a, 4b).
In conclusion, the volume of short-term auditory memory is determined, which is numerically equal to half the sum of the maximum number of digits in a row correctly reproduced by the child for the first and second time.
Evaluation of results:
10 points - the child correctly reproduced on average 9 numbers (very high level of development)
8-9 points - the child accurately reproduced 7-8 numbers (high result)
6-7 points - the child reproduced 5-6 numbers (average level of development)
4-5 points - the child reproduced 4 numbers (average level of development)
2-3 points - the child reproduced 3 numbers (low level of development)
0-1 point - the child reproduced 0-2 numbers (very low level of development)
· Method "Learn the words."
Methodology for determining the dynamics of the learning process. The child receives a task in several attempts to memorize and accurately reproduce a series of 12 words: tree, doll, fork, flower, phone, glass, bird, coat, light bulb, picture, person, book.
The sequence is memorized in the following way. After each next listening to it, the child tries to reproduce the entire series. The experimenter notes the number of words that the child remembered and named correctly during this attempt, and again reads out the same row. And so six attempts.
The results of memorizing a number of words are presented on a graph (Appendix 5), where the child's successive attempts to reproduce the row are indicated horizontally, and the number of words correctly reproduced by him in each attempt is indicated vertically.
Evaluation of results:
10 points - the child remembered and correctly reproduced all 12 words in 6 or fewer attempts (very high level of development)
8-9 points - the child remembered and accurately reproduced 10-11 words in 6 attempts (high result)
6-7 points - the child remembered and reproduced 8-9 words in 6 attempts (average level of development)
4-5 points - the child remembered and reproduced 6-7 words in 6 attempts (average level of development)
2-3 points - the child remembered and reproduced 4-5 words in 6 attempts (low level of development)
0-1 point - the child remembered and reproduced no more than 3 words in 6 attempts (very low level of development)
A variety of methods can be used to study a child's memory, including conversation, natural experiment, and laboratory experiment. All available methods of experimental study of a child's memory can be divided into the following groups.
1. Methods for studying the direct amount of memory. With their help, it is established how many units of information the child is able to remember at a time. For this purpose, the child is presented with such an amount of information for memorization that obviously exceeds the amount of his short-term memory. This is the classic "series member retention method".
2.Methods for studying long-term memory. The child is given the task of memorizing a certain amount of material, and then the number of repetitions (experiments) that he will need to fully memorize the material is determined,
the studied material is repeated until it is accurately reproduced. Based on the experiments, a learning curve is built.
3.Methods for studying mediated memory. Pair technique
associations. In this case, the elements of the information to be memorized are presented to the child in pairs. Then, after some time, he is shown one of the elements of the pair and asked to reproduce the other. On the instructions of the experimenter, the child himself can establish associations, i.e. choose supports for mediated memorization. Pictures, words, graphic symbols, visual models can be used as such auxiliary stimuli-means.
With the help of the recognition method, the accuracy of recognition at various time intervals of the material that was presented earlier to determine the immediate amount of memory is established.
4. Methods for studying logical memory. Claimed for
memorization material is subjected to semantic processing. In the course of the experiment, it is established whether the child masters the methods of comprehending the material (semantic correlation or semantic grouping), whether the semantic processing of the material affects the productivity of memorization, and whether the child is able to subordinate these methods to the goals of memorization.
The educator in his daily work with children is constantly faced with individual manifestations of children's memory. Some children memorize everything quickly and easily, others constantly experience difficulties. Someone easily remembers poems, counting rhymes, but with difficulty learns the rules of behavior, forgets instructions, constantly mixes everything up. Why? A child can remember something insignificant for a long time, while he simply forgets what is necessary for successful activity and communication. Why? In preparation for the matinee, he easily and artistically played his role, but forgot everything at the holiday. Why?
Problems like this occur frequently. To resolve them, the teacher must learn to study the child's memory.
Child psychology has a fairly extensive fund of methods for studying the memory of children. We bring to your attention some of them.
First of all, you should find out how the child himself evaluates his memory. The conversation can be structured as follows. Ask the child if he likes kindergarten, what he likes to do, how much he knows poems, fairy tales, whether he easily remembers instructions and requests from adults, and, finally, how he thinks what kind of memory he has. The course of the conversation may be different. It is important that the teacher is sensitive to the child's answers and his attitude to the subject of the conversation, which is the self-assessment of memory. You can ask why the child believes that he has a good or bad memory, how does he know about it.
Children's answers will show how consciously and adequately they evaluate their memory. Discussing the characteristics of a child's memory will help awaken his desire to improve it.
And now let's check what kind of memory the child has. Let's start with the classical methodology for studying involuntary and voluntary memory.
Method 1. Involuntary memorization.
Prepare a set of 16 pictures depicting familiar objects (mushroom, onion, hare, balls, dog, soap, fish, book, brush, goat, Christmas tree, rooster, castle, saw, iron, flag).
Invite the child to get acquainted with interesting pictures: "Now I will show you the pictures, and you look at them carefully." The child is not tasked with remembering. Pictures are presented sequentially one after another, the display time is 5 seconds. After the demonstration of the pictures, a short pause is made, after which the child is suddenly invited to recall from memory the names of all the objects depicted in the pictures: "Name the pictures that you remember." It is not necessary to help the child in the playback process. One can only stimulate the process of remembering: "What other pictures do you remember?.. Try to remember more." Fix the order in which pictures are played.
After making sure that the child does not remember anything else, mix the pictures with others and offer to select those that he considered (there should be no more than 22 pictures in total). Record which pictures the child has recognized.
Method 2. Arbitrary memorization.
Prepare a set of 16 pictures similar to the first one in content and difficulty (clock, watering can, fly, glasses, house, ball, crane, duck, table, watermelon, window, boat, umbrella, cup, sled, bucket). Invite the child to memorize as many pictures as possible in order to recall them later: "I will show you the pictures, and you carefully examine them and try to remember, then tell which pictures you remember." The display time of each picture is 5 seconds. After the show, pause, you can talk with the child on abstract topics, then offer to remember the pictures. Fix the playback order.
Repeat the recognition procedure as in the first experiment. Compare results. Find out in which experiment the child remembered more pictures, what kind of memory - voluntary or involuntary - turned out to be more productive. See which pictures are remembered by children more often, whether boys and girls remember the same pictures. Analyze the children's behavior in the experiments (attitude towards the task of remembering or learning, the ability to hold a mnemonic task, attitude to the material, speech reactions, etc.).
Method 3. Arbitrary memorization in the game.
Children play in "kindergarten". Put the "cook" in a situation of shortage of food and various utensils. Invite him to go to the "shop" and buy ... (the following is a list of items that the child must remember). In the "shop" he must go to the seller and repeat the names of all the items he was told to buy.
When analyzing, identify how the child accepts the task of going to the "shop" with an order, whether he remembers what he has to buy, what is the amount of material retained, whether he singles out the action of memorization and recall.
Compare the results of the 2nd and 3rd experiments. Record the indicators of memorization productivity in the table (Table 5).
The development of a child's arbitrary memory involves not only the allocation of a mnemonic task to him, but also the use of special memorization techniques that increase the effectiveness of mnemonic activity. To verify this, conduct the following group of experiments.
Method 4. The ratio of involuntary and arbitrary memory.
Pick up 2 different sets of 16 pictures, which can be divided by subject into four groups (for example, clothes, vegetables, dishes, animals - in the first set; shoes, fruits, birds, flowers - in the second).
Task 1. Present one set of pictures, invite the child to consider all the pictures, then close them and after a short pause ask them to name those that he remembers. The material in this experiment is not classified, i.e., the idea of classification is not presented to the child. Fix the order in which the pictures are played and determine if the child tried to classify them on his own initiative. Compare the results of memorization in those children who did not apply the principle of grouping when memorizing, with those who tried to apply it.
Task 2. Present the second set of pictures, offer to decompose it into four groups. Ask the child to name the pictures of each row and remove the set. The child must remember and list all the pictures in rows (in this case, when playing, the method of classifying the material is used - the technique of L.M. Zhitnikova).
Task 3. Show the child a third set of pictures, similar to the previous ones, offer to decompose the pictures into four groups ("about the same thing"). Highlight the goal - to remember, emphasize that you need to name the formed groups the way he laid them out.
Analyze whether the children accepted the task of grouping pictures for the purpose of memorization, whether the grouping of the material helped them.
Continue individual work with those children who did not cope with the grouping as a mental action, could not complete the task of classifying pictures, or could not subordinate the grouping to the goals of memorization. First, get the children to learn grouping techniques. The basis for combining pictures can be any similar properties (color, shape, purpose, functionality, sometimes random associations). It is important that the child himself discover these properties and consciously combine objects according to the selected feature. Only after the child has mastered the grouping technique and learns how to perform it on different material, can it be combined with a mnemonic task, that is, it is proposed to use the grouping as a method of arbitrary logical memorization (P. and Zinchenko's method).
The following set of tasks will help to identify the individual characteristics of the figurative memory of children and establish how the writing of pictures or objects during memorization affects the productivity of reproduction, that is, how viewing and description affect the formation of an image.
Method 5. Features of visual-figurative memory of children.
Choose a variety of visual material for classes with children: toys, objects, pictures depicting well-known objects, as well as unfamiliar objects or their images (10 in each set).
Task 1. Invite the child to consider the presented toys and remember them. After a while, offer to remember and describe each. Fix what toys the child remembered, and what signs he was able to identify and describe (color, shape, details, etc.).
Task 2. Present another set of toys or pictures, offer each to describe and remember. Analyze how the description of toys affects memorization and reproduction. Compare the received data.
In the future, tasks 1 and 2 can be varied using different material. The main task is to teach each child to carefully consider the memorized object, to make an accurate detailed idea about it, to describe it as fully as possible both when memorizing and when reproducing. Mastering the techniques of imprinting an image is one of the main conditions for the success of the mnemonic activity of children 4-5 years old.
Upbringing logical memory involves, first of all, the development of the mental activity of children - the development of the ability to analyze, highlight certain properties, features in objects, compare objects and phenomena with each other, generalize by combining various objects according to some characteristics, classify objects on the basis of a generalization made, establish semantic connections.
To master the techniques of semantic correlation and semantic grouping, we recommend using the following techniques.
Method 6. Paired pictures.
From various board-printed games such as "Lotto", select paired pictures, preferably in series, for example: items of clothing, toys, plants, animals, tools, etc. The game is best played with a subgroup of children of 3-5 people at a common table.
Task 1. Selection of paired pictures with the same content.
Open the picture box, show the kids selectively a few pictures, try to arouse interest in what is shown in the pictures. Encourage the desire to name them. Each child receives four pictures, which depict different objects. Have the children lay out their pictures on the table, look at them carefully, then turn them face down. "Colorful pictures showed their backs and hid from us. We will look for them now," the teacher says and opens one of his pictures (a pair from which one of the children has) Name the object, briefly describe its individual features, ask the children to look who has the same. Put the picture in the middle of the table , so that everyone can see. The one who finds the same picture in his place puts it next to him for comparison.
Answering the teacher's questions, the children name the distinguishing features of the object drawn in the picture, compare the pictures with each other, note the identity. In the same way, children discover the identity of several more pairs of pictures.
Task 2. Selection of similar paired pictures. The same items are selected for the game, but with different distinctive features (dolls in different clothes, buckets with different patterns, cars of different models, etc.). The game is built in the same way. To compare identical and similar pictures, the technique of attaching pictures to each other is used. When the game is repeated, other pictures are used.
Thus, in the course of the Paired Pictures game, children list the features of the depicted objects, that is, they perform elementary analysis and synthesis, learn to correlate objects according to the same and similar features. Arguing and exchanging impressions, children establish the identity and difference of objects. The game teaches them to reason and draw conclusions.
Method 7. Who is hiding here?
The game teaches children to use a simple method of semantic memorization and recall, which consists in establishing semantic connections between the objects depicted in the pictures.
For the game, pick up subject pictures depicting toys, animals, clothes, fruits ... as well as people. Each set of pictures should include several specific items belonging to the same group, and their owner (person), for example, a doll, a stroller, a ball, and a girl (the toy owner); pot, frying pan, stove and woman (cook). You can also use objects that serve as a container for what is shown in the pictures, such as an apple, an orange, a pear, and a fruit bowl. To play, you need a thin stick and a box with several compartments for different pictures.
Task 1. The teacher lays out a set of 4 pictures on the table, establishes semantic and spatial connections between them in the process of unfolding. "Here is the girl Lena (puts the picture in the center), she has a Masha doll (puts it on one side), a stroller to roll it (puts it on the other side), press where the pictures are until they are hidden." Pictures are "hidden" (turned face down). The teacher turns to one child: "You will help me find the pictures. I will knock with a stick and ask: knock-knock, who hid here? And you remember and tell me what picture is here, name it." The teacher taps with a stick near other pictures, attracting other children to the answers. You can change the material several times, give a wand to one of the children, let him perform the actions that the teacher performed. If the child correctly named the picture, he receives a prize and a wand is given to him.
Task 2. Each child receives a set of pictures and establishes semantic connections between them (meaningful and spatial). The process of laying out pictures, which is accompanied by speech, contributes to the meaningful memorization of both their content and location. Further, the game is built according to the already described scheme.
If a child does not cope well with remembering and recalling pictures, in no case should you tell him that he has a bad memory. This will cause great harm: the child may lose confidence in himself, and will no longer try to remember anything. In addition, errors in recall may arise not because of a weak memory, but because the child is not interested or he is shy, not used to independence. You need to play with it separately, paying special attention to establishing semantic connections between pictures, emphasizing the goal of remembering.
Children 5-6 years old should be purposefully taught the use of such logical memorization techniques as semantic grouping and semantic correlation.
Learning the techniques of logical memorization is a complex process. Those children who have already mastered the elementary means of comprehending the material that is to be remembered are ready for it. For the development of logical memory, it is necessary to be able to compare, generalize, highlight similar "" signs, establish links between the memorized material and the already known.
After the children learn to see certain groups of pictures in the material presented for memorization, for example, furniture, plants, toys, vegetables, etc., they will learn to attribute each picture to a specific group, select individual elements for a generic concept of the second or third degree of generalization , you can proceed to the formation of the ability to apply grouping or semantic correlation for the purpose of memorization.
Method 8. Formation of logical memorization techniques
The purpose of the methodology: to teach children the ability to subordinate grouping and semantic correlation to the goals of memorization (A. N. Belous's method).
Task 1. Present for memorization a set of pictures selected so that they can be divided into four groups on the same topic. Have your child look at the pictures carefully. In the process of familiarization, he must name each and attribute to a specific group (wardrobe - furniture, dress - clothes, etc.), establish that in the presented set there are, for example, vegetables, clothes, furniture, etc. Now you can decompose pictures into groups (for orientation at this stage it is useful to use general pictures - a garden, a room, a farm ...).
The child needs to be reminded that he should try to remember the pictures as he lays them out. It is important that he accompany his activities with verbal comments, for example: “There is furniture here. I will put it in the room. Here is a sofa, a table, a sideboard, a wardrobe. Now I will put pictures about vegetables: carrots, beets, peppers, onions; basket. There are also pictures about clothes: boards, a jacket, trousers ... "
After the child has laid out all the pictures, invite him to check himself if he remembers everything well. After that, remove the small pictures, and leave the general ones. After a short pause, invite the child to remember which pictures he laid out. Tell me that it will be easier to remember all the pictures if you look at large generalizing pictures.
The task can be completed several times on different material. You can also gradually increase the amount of memorized material (12, 16, 20 pictures). After the child learns to navigate the material, generalizing pictures can be removed. When playing, the child can rely on generalizing words. It is important that he memorize and reproduce in groups. You can offer the child not to put the pictures into groups, but only name them in groups and remember them that way, and then reproduce them in the same way. If such a task turns out to be too difficult for the child, you can offer him to use chips for self-control. To do this, in the process of memorizing each picture, he must designate a chip. Thus, after the pictures are removed, chips will remain on the table. They will serve as a support when playing rows of pictures.
Children who have mastered the described techniques can easily memorize up to 20 pictures of different content.
Task 2. Offer for memorization a set of pictures depicting objects familiar to children. As a support for memorization, we will use other pictures, which the child himself will select in terms of meaning to the first ones (the method of semantic correlation).
When mastering the technique of semantic correlation, you first need to teach the child to find for the presented picture similar in content to it, close in meaning (that is, to select what suits him). For example, a picture of an apple is presented. In terms of meaning, a pear or any other fruit is suitable, a basket or a vase may be suitable. The child can pick up a ball, ball and other round objects to the apple. Thus, not only semantic, but also connections will be established based on the external similarity of objects or random associations (for example, an apple is a grandmother).
It is important that the child is aware of these connections so that they help him remember the right pictures. Analyze incorrect answers, learn to find various semantic connections and give them a logical justification. Classes can be repeated as many times as necessary in order for children to learn how to correctly correlate a picture with a picture, a word with a picture, a picture with a word (in the latter case, the child himself comes up with a suitable word for the presented picture). Such classes can be carried out with small subgroups of children, alternating them with individual ones.
After the technique of establishing semantic connections is mastered by children, a mnemonic task can be introduced. For memorization, pictures are presented sequentially, one after another, the child selects for each other, suitable in meaning, and tries to remember them in pairs. When playing, it also calls the pictures in pairs. On the table in front of the child there are pictures that he selected according to their meaning and which serve as a support during reproduction. If this task is completed successfully, you can remove the reference pictures.
At the next stage of learning, the child is asked to memorize and reproduce aloud only the series presented for memorization, and the process of establishing semantic connections is transferred to the internal plane. Classes are held individually.
Children who have mastered the technique of semantic correlation and have learned to use it for memorization purposes easily memorize and reproduce up to 20 pictures or words.
It is important to form some methods of logical memorization among older preschoolers in order to better prepare them for schooling.
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Slides captions:
Memory Methods for examining memory in preschool, school age, in adults
MEMORY - the ability to reproduce past experience, one of the main properties of the nervous system, expressed in the ability to store information for a long time and repeatedly enter it into the sphere of consciousness and behavior.
Allocate memory processes: memorization, preservation, reproduction, recognition, recollection, recall.
Methods for the study of memory Preschoolers Schoolchildren Adults
preschoolers
Diagnostics of short-term memory Memorizing pictures and objects Progress: Place 5-6 pictures or real objects (toys) in front of the child on the table. Give 30 seconds to remember. Then the child must list from memory which objects (or their images) are laid out on the table.
As a variant of this technique: change the location of some objects, remove or replace any object, and then ask the child to determine what has changed.
Drawing from memory, the child is presented with a simple picture for memorization for 1 minute, then the adult removes it, and the kid must draw a picture from memory. As a variant of this task: draw from memory the missing parts, details of the picture.
Research of long-term memory In these tasks the stock of knowledge of the child, his erudition is also determined.
Examination of motor memory An adult asks the child to repeat a certain sequence of movements after him, for example, touch his right ear with his left hand, smile, sit down, etc. Or copy a certain position of the fingers.
Examination of auditory memory The technique "10 words" was proposed by A.R. Luria is intended for the diagnosis of auditory memory. Material for the technique: a sheet of paper, a pen, 10 words for memorization.
The instruction consists of several steps. First explanation: “Now I will read 10 words. You need to listen carefully. When I finish reading, immediately repeat as much as you remember. You can repeat in any order, the order does not matter. It's clear?" The experimenter reads the words slowly and clearly. When the subject repeats the words, the experimenter puts crosses under these words in his protocol. The second explanation: “Now I will read the same words again, and you again have to repeat them - both those that you have already named (a) and those that you missed for the first time - all together, in in any order." The experimenter again puts crosses under the words that the subject reproduced.
Then the experience is repeated again 2, 4 and 5 times, but without instructions. The experimenter simply says, "One more time." If the subject names any superfluous words, the experimenter must write them down next to the crosses, and if these words are repeated, he puts crosses under them. If the child tries to insert any replicas during the experiment, the experimenter stops him. No conversations are allowed during this experiment.
After repeating the words five times, the experimenter proceeds to other experiments, and at the end of the study, i.e., after about 50-60 minutes, he again asks to reproduce these words (without a reminder). In order not to be mistaken, it is better to mark these repetitions not with crosses, but with circles.
Number of repetitions forest bread window chair water brother horse mushroom needle honey fire 1 2 3 4 5 an hour later
According to this protocol, a "memorization curve" can be drawn up. To do this, the repetition numbers are plotted along the horizontal axis, and the number of correctly reproduced words is plotted along the vertical axis.
Using different sets of words, but equal in difficulty, this experiment can be repeated in order to take into account the effectiveness of therapy, assess the dynamics of the disease, etc.
Study of visual memory Method "Memorize the pictures" Instructions: "This picture shows 9 different shapes. Try to memorize them and then recognize them in another picture, which I will now show you. Try to recognize and show in the second picture only those images that you saw in the first of the pictures.
The exposure time of the stimulus picture is 30 sec. After that, this picture is removed from the child's field of vision and instead of it, he is shown the second picture. The experiment continues until the child recognizes all the images, but no longer than 1.5 minutes.
Evaluation of the results 10 points - the child recognized all nine images shown to him in the picture, spending less than 45 seconds on this. 8-9 points - the child recognized 7-8 images in the picture in 45 to 55 seconds. 6-7 points - the child recognized 5-6 images in 55 to 65 seconds. 4-5 points - the child recognized 3-4 images in 65 to 75 seconds. 2-3 points - the child recognized 1-2 images in 75 to 85 seconds. 0-1 point - the child did not recognize a single image in the picture for 90 seconds or more.
Conclusions about the level of development 10 points - very high. 8-9 points - high. 4-7 points - average. 2-3 points - low. 0-1 point - very low.
Diagnosis of associative memory
Pupils
Memory temporal survey
The study of short-term memory The technique "How to patch the rug?" This technique uses pictures of the Raven test. Before showing it to the child, they are told that this picture shows two rugs, as well as pieces of matter that can be used to patch the holes on the rugs in such a way so that the patterns of the rug and the patch do not differ.
Evaluation of the results 10 points - the child completed the task in less than 20 seconds. 8-9 points - the child solved all four problems correctly in 21 to 30 seconds. 6-7 points - the child spent from 31 to 40 seconds to complete the task. 4-5 points - the child spent from 41 to 50 seconds to complete the task. 2-3 points - the time the child worked on the task took from 51 to 60 seconds. 0-1 point - the child did not cope with the task for more than 60 seconds.
Conclusions about the level of development 10 points - very high 8-9 points - high 4-7 points - average 2-3 points - low 0-1 points - very low
Examination of long-term memory Methodology "Long-term memory" Methodological material: a series of words - a table, soap, a person, a fork, a book, a coat, an ax, a chair, a notebook, milk. Order of execution and instructions: “Now I will read you a series of words, and you will try to remember them. A number of words are read out several times so that the children remember. Verification occurs in 7-10 days.
The coefficient of long-term memory is calculated according to the following formula: A - the total number of words, B - the number of memorized words, C - the coefficient of long-term memory
The results are interpreted as follows: 75-100% - high level; 50-75% - average level; 30-50% - low level; below 30% is a very low level.
Study of memory according to the predominant activity of analyzers
The study of auditory memory AR Lurni's technique (memorization test of 10 words) The technique is aimed at studying the features of mechanical memory, its fitness. With it, you can also judge the stability and concentration of attention. The use of this technique provides information about the child's ability to maintain a relatively long activity that is not supported by any visual material or game situation that is significant for him.
To conduct it, you must have 10 words written on a separate sheet, preferably 2-3 sets. Words are chosen in such a way that it is difficult to establish any semantic relationship between them. The student is read 10 words, then asked to reproduce them. The teacher fixes which words were reproduced correctly, which were superfluous. Then these words are read out again and again asked to reproduce them. So until the student reproduces all 10 words (the sequence is not important). After 30-60 minutes, a control playback is carried out, i.e. the student is asked to reproduce the words that he memorized.
13 91 47 39 65 83 19 51 23 94 71 87 Short-term visual memory was assessed by the number of correctly reproduced numbers.
Examination of visual memory The child is presented with each of the two drawings in turn. After presenting each part of the drawing, A and B, the child receives a stencil frame with a request to draw on it all the lines that he saw and remembered on each part of the drawing. Based on the results of two experiments, the average number of lines that he reproduced correctly from memory is established.
A line is considered correctly reproduced, the length and orientation of which do not differ much from the length and orientation of the corresponding line in the original drawing (deviation of the beginning and end of the line by no more than one cell, while maintaining its angle of inclination). The resulting indicator, equal to the number of correctly reproduced lines, is considered as the amount of visual memory.
Adult
Examination of visual memory Methodology: “memory for numbers” Research procedure: The task is that the subject is shown for 20 seconds a table with 12 two-digit numbers that need to be remembered and, after the table is removed, write down on the form.
Task: the subject is shown for 20 seconds. a table with 12 two-digit numbers that you need to remember and, after the table is removed, write it down on the form. Instruction: “You will be presented with a table with numbers. Your task is to get 20s. memorize as many numbers as possible. After 20s. The table will be removed, and you will have to write down the numbers that you remember.
Instruction: "Now I want to check how you can memorize words. I will read you 10 words, and you try to remember them ... Now I am reading these words to you again, remember." Approximate sets of words: mountain, saw, rose, soap, leg, paper, pen, glasses, sofa, river; 2) forest, bread, window, chair, water, brother, horse, hand, honey, porridge; 3) needle, horse, hay, cat, watch, movie, coat, book, house, pike.
Processing: Processing counts the number of word repetitions required for the student to memorize the entire list. You should pay attention to the features of memorization: which groups of words the student memorized faster, is there any connection between these words; what words were added to the list, whether there is any connection between these words and the words from the list.
Unfortunately, no test norms have been developed for this technique, so the teacher is invited to evaluate the results based on their own sample (that is, to determine the low, medium and high memorability of children of the same age category based on the results of their students). Usually a normal average student remembers 10 words after 8-9 repetitions. You should also pay attention to repeated reproduction: which words are reproduced, how many, which ones are forgotten.
The "Pictogram" technique is designed to study the individual characteristics of memory and thinking. The technique is designed for people at least 14 years old.
Material for carrying out the technique: pencil, paper, list of words for memorization. Instruction: "This test is designed to study visual memory. On a piece of paper you can draw the words that I call. Numbers and letters cannot be drawn." There are 18 words on the memorization list, but you can limit yourself to 10. You can add your own words to this list.
List of words and phrases. -Happy holiday -Hard work -Development -Delicious dinner -Bold deed -Sickness -Happiness -Separation -Poisonous question -Friendship -Dark night -Sadness -Justice -Doubt -Warm wind -Deceit -Wealth -Hungry child
After completing the task, the sheet with the drawings is put aside and within an hour the subject can be occupied with talking or passing other tests. After 1 hour, the psychologist gives the subject a piece of paper with drawings, the subject must reproduce the words that he drew.
The level of development of mediated memorization Average: 90-95% (9-10 words out of 10). Memory is poor if the subject remembers 8 or fewer words out of 10. Weak memory and thinking if the subject remembers less than 2 words out of 10.