Mnemonic Strategies: Evidence-Based Practice and Practice-Based Evidence

Abstract

This article presents information on using mnemonic strategies to enhance learning and memory of students with mild disabilities. Different types of mnemonic strategies are described, including the keyword method, the pegword method, and letter strategies. Following this, a number of teachers describe their own applications of mnemonic strategies with students with learning disabilities, mild mental retardation, and emotional/behavioral disabilities. Content areas include elementary life science, secondary social studies and anatomy, elementary social studies, elementary reading vocabulary, and secondary SAT vocabulary. Finally, a middle school social studies teacher describes lessons learned from her extended experience with mnemonic strategies. A discussion of the theoretical foundations and empirical research support of mnemonic strategies also is provided.