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Hello Mark, 

 

If I read you correctly, you are referring in part to 'lines'. Lines
discreetly underpin a great deal of what we do, both in movement - physical
and mental activities such as thinking - and in the holding of a 'still
position' such as a conceptualisation, a pose, an opinion. The difficulty to
subjectivise lines (dimensions, directions, handwriting, shoelaces) makes it
difficult for us to organise our thoughts, our things, our world. This has
consequences for memory, in that we are not able to simplify the problems
that we require memory to manage. So, memory function is impoverished at the
same time as having to do a great deal more work to hold elements, ideas
individually, rather than as a group, a pattern, or a rhythm. 

 

So, to respond more directly to your question.

 

The good news is that improving the relation to lines is relatively
straightforward, and quite quickly productive. If he is not able to tie
shoelaces, showing him how (step by step) is a first step. Exercises working
with knots will develop this further. I will probably have real effects on
the one teaching him too. 

 

MOZI BLOCKS - are a tool for addressing precisely these kinds of issues,
working with lines in space/time. (it includes straight lines, curves,
tangents, diagonals, rotations, etc).

 

This should have the effect of increasing the field of dexterity beyond
which a subject is overwhelmed/disorientated, and which state poor memory is
one of the symptoms. 

 

Memory: In my experience, what presents as memory deficit is usually the
consequence of a vital function. That of a limit point that prevents the
subject from becoming overwhelmed. (The consequences of forgetting are
usually relatively trivial, while the consequences of not being able to
forget is an acute suffering). So, often it remains as a constant as other
things change, including higher and higher levels of performance. (Eg, we
can be in a position of always expecting our memory to do too much and it is
precisely what provides the reading (blip0 that tells us to stop.)

 

If he has time to work on memory directly, there are memory training games
on line. I haven't tried any in particular but I guess that they will afford
some improvement, without taking a way that issue.

Mind Mapping, both hand-based and computer based should also improve matters
somewhat. 

 

Kind Regards,

 

Penny

 

Penny Georgiou

Access 1st

Needs Assessment, Advice and Support Services

For Disabled Students in Higher Education

Mobile: 07708791880 - Direct: 020 7799 4803 - Fax: 020 7152 4001 

 

"Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be
counted counts."

Albert Einstein. 

 

From: Discussion list for disabled students and their support staff.
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mark Phillips
Sent: 25 July 2012 09:13
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Study skills targeted at improving memory

 

Hello All, 

I'm looking to provide some study skills support specifically targeted at
improving memory.  The support is for a Musical theatre student with
Dyslexia.  The course he is studying is very practical and therefore his
literacy skills are having the most profound impact on reading.  The student
has to attend rehearsals and auditions where he needs to quickly read and
perform direct from script.  The student's Ed Psych report highlighted
difficulties with working memory which I suspect is a major contributing
factor to his difficulties.  Does anyone know of any courses which could
help the student develop strategies to become familiar enough with lines to
perform them.  At present the student is concerned his performance is
suffering due to concentrating all his energies on decoding the text. 

Many thanks, 

Mark Phillips 
(Needs Assessor) 
Assessment Centre, Cardiff 
 
<http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Cardiff-United-Kingdom/Student-Support-Cen
tre-Cardiff-University/10301941495>    <http://twitter.com/CardiffUniSSC>