Equally important to listening, repetition is another important key element in L-MSL approach due to its crucial role in resulting long-term retention. To understand this point, we will have to review how memory is formed. According to generally accepted model, there are three necessary steps in forming a lasting memory.
- The stimuli detected and perceived by our senses are entered to our sensory memory automatically, and disappears in less than a second.
- Once the attention is paid to the elements of sensory memory, it is passed on to the short-term memory, which let us retain it for less than a minute. However, with an active effort, by repeating the information, we can keep it in short-term memory for as long as possible which lets us eventually transfer it to long-term memory for more permanent storage.
- Once the piece of information has been stored in our long-term memory, it can remain there for a very long time, and sometimes even for the rest of our life.
When we learn a new word through multisensory systems, the visual, auditory, and somatic associative cortexes are activated to build new connections (neural circuits) among respective neurons, for example, neurons in visual cortex to recognize the spelling, neurons in auditory cortex to hear the pronunciation, and others in the associative regions of the cortex to relate the word to our existing knowledge. The new word is then perceived (sensory memory) and stored (short-term memory) temporarily in several interconnected neural networks. To learn this new word by repeating it several times will effect and strengthen the new connections among these various circuits. This new, durable association among certain neurons forms our memory of this word. To remember this word (long-term memory), however, we will have to consolidate these new neural circuits to last for reactivation by more repetition.
For full article of Listening-based Multisensory Synchro Learning (L-MSL) for Second Language Acquisition, CLICK HERE.
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