New research published in the July issue of Cognition indicates that using gestures while studying can dramatically improve learning and memory. The study, done by Susan Wagner Cook at the University of Rochester, showed that kids asked to physically gesture at math problems were almost three times more likely than non-gesturers to remember what they learned. Cook suggests that gestures represent "an additional and potent avenue for taking in information". In the study, students were asked to learn algebraic concepts. When using speech only to learn, 33% of students remembered the lesson. When using gestures, however, 90% of students retained the lesson.
http://www.smart-kit.com/s756/improve-learning-and-memory-with-gestures/
The FINGTERS of Finger Pointers is another innovation to teach demonstrative pronouns (this that these those). This technique enable the pupils to understand the quantity and distance of things. This is a part of Action Research Project carried out years ago and had won Seminar Kajian Tindakan Daerah Segamat in 2010 and represented Segamat to state level. The researcher had won Anugerah Guru Inovatif Daerah Segamat in 2010.
Abstract of this research
This research was carried out to overcome pupils’ problem to memorize and improve their memory to remember all key words of the demonstrative pronouns and perhaps minimize their mistakes that they made when referring the position of things and objects. 28 pupils of 1 Putra Cekal ( KIA2M ), a lower achiever group, and 2 English teachers were involved in this research. Early research showed that, not many of the pupils were able to tell the demonstrative pronouns ( this, that, these and those ) of the object shown during the lesson, even though some of the pupils have already memorized the key words. It indicated that the pupils were only able to solely remember the key words, not the meaning nor the position of the objects shown. According to my previous experience, when I taught this topic to advance and intermediate students, they were able to remember the keywords and used it correctly in conversations and in writing i.e. test and exam. But, it made me worried when the same questions asked orally and in writing, there were quite a number, who still made mistakes on that particular topic. That made me to explore another easiest way to enable the pupils, not only the lower achiever pupils, but all year 1 pupils in general, to remember the key words, know the meaning of the key words, use the key words correctly and in the same time, enjoying the lesson. So this research focuses on how to make the pupils to remember, know the meaning, use them correctly and make the lesson more enjoyable. From the FINGTERS Technique that I created, and used it in the classroom during the T&L for less than a week, it showed remarkably feedback. Unlike before the usage of the techniques, it took more than a week to make them remembered the key words and the functions, and yet, more of them confused with the meaning and some did not remember the words. From the topical test that I carried out after I completed the lesson using the HSP technique, it indicated that there were much improvement to be proud of. Plus, from the oral feedback from the pupils, they did enjoy the lesson and it is easier to remember the words and the meaning using the technique that I taught. And from where I stand, this research did serve it purpose.
