|
Description
Memory skills are a prerequisite for language learning, literacy and numeracy development.
Mastering Memory is a metacognitive memory training program, developed by an experienced speech and language therapist and dyslexia teacher, for use with her pupils and students
It is a tool which under the guidance of a learning support assistant, therapist or teacher can be used to facilitate strategies to:
improve visual and/or auditory short-term memory
enhance the capacity to transfer information to long-term memory
transfer new memory skills to other situations
It can also be used as a dynamic assessment tool by an experienced practitioner.
"I often find that things that seem a good idea are disappointing in practice. This is not so of Mastering Memory. I really think you have done well to produce something that both children and adults enjoy doing."
Clare North, Speech and Language Therapist
The program was developed in 1996 as one of the original computer memory training programs. It was nominated for a BETT Special Needs software award in 2002, is recommended by the BDA Computer Committee, used by many people at Dyslexia in Action and at numerous schools and Speech and Language units. It has been used successfully by teachers, learning support assistants, therapists and parents for many years and is in use in many places around the world, including Dubai, Australia, Hong Kong, Bangkok, Guernsey and New Zealand.
To see what other people think of the program click here
Mastering Memory is a simple but innovative program, which runs under Windows® (up to and including Vista) and is suitable for use when a person has a poor short-term or working memory. The program is presented in a highly accessible, informative and entertaining format.
Mastering memory is suitable for people with:
- dyslexia
- language disorders
- learning difficulties
- Down's Syndrome
- memory difficulties
- and anyone who wants to improve their memory
By deliberately teaching memory strategies, visual and auditory sequential memory can be dramatically improved.The Mastering Memory Manual includes colour plates and illustrates simple strategies to improve memory and encourage transfer and generalisation.
"A metacognitive approach where students are taught how memory works and how to develop alternative strategies has been proved to work with people with dyslexia."
Glenys Heap, Principal, Dyslexia Institute
There are two versions of Mastering Memory:
- Children's Version: suitable for children from 2 years - 11 years old
- Complete Version (Adult and Children's Version): suitable for secondary age students and adults
On screen, a sequence of pictures is presented to be remembered. These consist of images of animals, food, transport, sport and other items. The objects are presented visually and/or auditorially to improve visual and/or auditory memory. The sequence, speed and the number of pictures selected can be adjusted to suit the aptitude of each individual. There is a carefully graded sequence in which the amount of detail increases at each level to develop observation and memory skills.
Here is an example at each level of the Pictures module.
Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4
The program offers 3 presentation modalities to assess and develop learning styles: visual, auditory and visual and auditory combined.
"Anne Henderson, author of Maths for the Dyslexic, says "Mastering Memory is a valuable instrument for detecting modality strengths as well as for improving memory".
The program is not designed to be "flashy" or like a normal computer "game". It very simply "does what it says on the box", as one teacher put it.
Mastering Memory makes presenting sequential memory tasks easy for the therapist/teacher (no more sorting cards, remembering what you told the child or timing the presentations).
The operation of the software will not tax people unfamiliar with computers. Children will feel at ease with the system and its application immediately.
A detailed achievement record is kept for each person. This can be printed out and analysed or used as a record to show progress.
The Children's Version includes three modules:
- Pictures
- Written words (describing the pictures) .
- Colours, Shapes, Numbers and Letters.
The Complete Version includes all of the above and
- Signs and Symbols
- Abbreviations
- Photos
Each module has 16 alternative sets of pictures with 6 pictures in each set. These can be used to generate over 50,000 different sequences which can be selected by the therapist/teacher or randomly generated by the computer.
Some examples of the modules are illustrated below. The pictures are sightly reduced in size compared to the their size in the program.
- Colours, Shapes, Numbers and Letters is a useful module containing 132 different symbolic images. Some students find this is a good link between the more concrete picture modules and real life memory for spellings, for example. These examples illustrate some of the selections available.
- Module of "written words" describing the pictures. This is a good link to improving reading for memory - once memory strategies have been learned.
- The Signs and Symbols module consists of 16 sets of topics which contain a total of 132 different images. Some examples are shown below. This follows the same difficulty levels as the 'Pictures' module (so it can be very easy ranging up to very difficult) but with images that are appropriate for older users. There are no childish white rabbits or bears! Boys around 11 or 12 prefer this module.
- The Photo module is useful for Secondary aged students and Adults or for children who prefer a photo to a picture. This module is especially suitable for those with colour blindness or perceptual problems.The examples illustrate some of the selections available.
- Abbreviations are a more abstract module. They are a good extension exercise for high level users who want to link their memory improvement to study skills techniques; for example, learning chemistry formulae or equations..
-
Mastering Memory will enable you to teach your pupils/students/clients to improve their short-term memory.
To get demos click here
For a presentation of how to use the program click here
To see what other people think of the program click here
For prices click here
For other topics of interest please click one of the links that run along the top of this page.
Complete Kit includes Windows® Program and Manual
Mastering Memory will run under Windows® 2000, NT4, XP and Vista.
To allow peripatetic teachers and therapists to use Mastering Memory in all the schools or institutions they visit it can be installed on an unlimited number of computers but may only be run when the original CD-ROM (key disc) is in the CD drive.
To enable groups of therapists/teachers or learning support services to buy multiple copies, 2-CD packs and 4-CD packs are available at discounted rates.
Other products available from CALSC - The Communication and Learning Skills Centre include.
- Timely Reminders (free), software that helps students to review information they have learned and embed it in the long term-memory. This means that facts are recalled easily.
- Understanding Dylexia (free), a website that provides useful analogies for parents of children diagnosed with Dyslexia.
- Student Organiser Pack (free), a pack of worksheets and timetables to help students from ages 9 to 19 years old to be more organised, make more efficient use of their time and to achieve their aims more successfully.
- Memory Bricks, a set of 40 bricks in four levels of difficulty that are used to help improve short-term memory in young children. They can also be used for dynamic assessment of memory skills.
- Classi-cards, a selection of cards with manual that helps to improve classification skills, which are important for word-finding and long-term memory skills.
To contact us please call 020 8642 4663 or fax 01797 362189
|
|
