IIT JEE Memory Skills - Rote Learning

Rote Learning

Rote learning is a learning technique which avoids understanding the inner complexities and inferences of the subject that is being learned and instead focuses on memorizing the material so that it can be recalled by the learner exactly the way it was read or heard. In other words, it is learning "just for the test".

The major practice involved in rote learning techniques is learning by repetition, based on the idea that one will be able to recall the meaning of the material the more they repeat it. However, in many fields, especially mathematics and related disciplines, this can often produce poor results.

Rote learning is also referred to as parrot fashion, regurgitation or mugging. However, with some material rote learning is the only way to learn it in a timely manner. For example, when learning the alphabets, the vocabulary of a foreign language or the conjugation of foreign irregular verbs, since they have no inner structure or their inner complexity is too subtle to be learned explicitly in a short time.

http://www.k12academics.com/educational-psychology/rote-learning

Rote learning is the least efficient memory aid. Most people cannot remember rote-learned information for very long.

What is the important point to be noted by JEE aspirants? When you are studying for the first time make sure you understand the meaning of every sentence in the lesson. You will be able to recall information better when you have understood the meaning of every sentence and word? Why can you recall better. Because memory is related to association. When you say you understood a word or sentence, you are able express the word in a picture that represents the word or you are able to express it in a different word that is more familiar to you. So in either case you are associating the new word or a sentence with word and pictures which are already your memory and this helps in better recall.


Rote learning works better when the material has built-in memory cues of its own.

Rehearsal is an important part of rote learning. You have to make sure to schedule adequate time for it in your study schedule.

Rote by Rhythm and Rhyme

Rhythm and rhyme are built-in memory aids. If you can write your sentences with with rhyming words. That will help you in recollecting the material fast.

Rote by Tune
If information can be arranged into a familiar tune you will recollect it more easily.

Rote and rewrite

Generally writing something over and over is a poor memory strategy. Not much sinks in.

But writing may help in remembering spelling.

Also as explaining a concept to yourself helps in memorizing it and you can write down your explanation. That will help you to review your own explanation and also helps in memorizing it. In writing your explanation, you can build in rhythm, rhyme, tune, cue words into the writeup.

Interesting Post

http://rationalmathed.blogspot.com/2009/04/memorizing-vs-rote-learning-drilling.html