In this world saturated by apps, hacks and videos purporting to be the key to successful studying, I’m here to make a case for good old-fashioned recitation. Your sibling might think you’re crazy, as they overhear you blabber away to yourself, and a cute cartoon bird is not going to reward you with special merit stars for your achievements. But being able to explain a concept aloud, especially to someone else, is a mark of true understanding. Rote recitation in and of itself can reinforce comprehension, laying the foundations for higher level analysis and critical thinking. The benefits of becoming a confident speaker go well beyond scholastic success, as well.
Reciting still has a role in the 21st century
Studies have shown that verbalizing information helps strengthen neural connections in the brain. Speaking aloud engages multiple senses simultaneously, which helps to encode information more effectively into long-term memory. This phenomenon, known as the "production effect," suggests that information spoken aloud is remembered more effectively than information read silently. If you want to take it a step further and go prehistoric with your learning retention technique, try reciting your lesson as a song.
Reciting is also a great way to check in on where your knowledge gaps are. Explaining a complex concept aloud forces you to organize and articulate your thoughts. When you stumble and feel like you don’t know how to connect where you were to where you’re going with your train of thought, you’ve effectively honed in on an area you haven’t quite grasped.
Oration as the final test of mastery
To test student’s understanding of what they’ve just learnt, I’ll assign as homework that they teach it back to me. I find this particularly effective for STEM subjects, where speaking aloud is often overlooked as an important part of the learning process. If you can explain, while drawing a legible diagram, how to write a depth-first search procedure, I have more faith in your mastery of the concept than if you just show me the Python script you wrote. The same goes for standardized test prep: explain to me your method for efficiently answering systems of inequalities questions, and I’ll trust you’ll stay level-headed in your approach to those questions on test day.
If you can, test your mastery by explaining what you’ve learnt aloud in a ‘higher stakes’ setting. This is something the Italian education system loves doing through the dreaded oral exams, which are the final hurdle to passing a class. Make yourself uncomfortable in front of peers that intimidate you, get an adrenaline rush by standing up in front of your extended family, then try to explain what you’ve learned.
Beyond the lesson at hand
Speaking aloud about the underworld in ancient epics, the fundamental theorem of calculus, or photosynthesis is not only going to help you ace whatever needs acing today. Fundamentally, the learning techniques discussed here are developing eloquence, but of a gentler persuasion than the argumentative form practiced in debate class. Working those communication muscles early will pay dividends later, giving you the self-confidence to pitch your left-field idea to superiors, share your research in front of a packed auditorium, or to speak your righteous cause persuasively.
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