Memorisation is Not the Same as Learning

In schools, learning is often gauged by how much a child can memorise. In fact, a teaching tactic most commonly used is making children repeat a few phrases over and over and over until it ‘sticks’ in their minds, and then we are convinced that learning has taken place. But has it really?

A child can recite a definition perfectly, remember quadratic formulae and the Pythagoras Theorem, write a test on those things and score 100%, but in the end, have no idea what any of those things mean, what they are used for, why they worked, and their relation to real life.

So, when we say something has been taught in class, and a child has learned it, what do we mean? How do we gauge that learning has been executed?

Memorisation as the Means, Not End

Remembering information is a part of learning, but that alone does not mean learning has been conducted. Memorisation has it’s place in learning, but should not take up too much space that it becomes the focal point in which a child must achieve to be said to have learned something.

Children need to remember certain information. Knowing basic arithmetic facts like BODMAS makes more complex mathematical concepts easier. Remembering vocabulary rules helps children develop their communication skills. Having foundational facts stored in memory gives them something to work with when they encounter more complicated ideas, and that in itself are all good. Memorisation then becomes a means to an end: learning, but should not be substituted for the main thing.

If a child can reproduce information exactly as it appeared in their textbook, or repeat what their teacher said verbatim, but cannot explain it in their own words, or apply it to a new situation or connect it to something they already know, then there may be a gap between what they can remember, and what they actually understand.

And that gap matters because sure, the children who have crammed and memorised their whole notebooks and textbooks may do well in their exams, but have they learned anything? What would the point of a child going to school if they only learn how to pass exams and don’t leave the building enlightened with new ideas?

Knowing the Answer Isn’t Always Understanding It

A child knowing the answer to a question does not mean that they have certainly understood that question, and why that answer is so.

Imagine a child has learned that plants eat through a process known as photosynthesis. They can memorise that sentence and reproduce it perfectly in a test or an exam. But what happens when you ask “what exactly is photosynthesis? How does it work?” and they have no answer to that question?

A child who has only ever repeated the sentence “plants get their food through a process called photosynthesis” as the answer to the question of where plants get food from, would not know how to explain further because such questions require something more than the repetition the child has been taught that substituted for learning.

So, What Does Real Learning Look Like?

Real learning is understanding, and understanding can look different from child to child, but there are a few signs parents can look for. A child may understand something when they can:

• Explain it in their own words.

• Give an example without copying one from their notes.

• Connect it to something they already know.

• Apply what they have learned to a different situation.

• Explain how they arrived at an answer.

• Ask thoughtful questions about the topic.

• Recognise when they don’t understand something yet.

This is why sometimes the most useful question you can ask after homework isn’t “Did you get the answer?” but, “How did you get that answer?” or even “Can you explain the answer to me?” These questions encourage children to do something with their knowledge instead of simply repeating it.

From Remembering to Understanding

Memorisation can provide the building blocks. But understanding is what allows children to put those blocks together, see how they connect and eventually use them to build something of their own. A child who memorises a mathematical formula has gained a piece of information, while a child who understands what the formula represents, knows when to use it and can apply it to a problem they have never seen before has gained something much more valuable: the ability to use their knowledge.

And that ability becomes increasingly important as children grow. As questions get harder, problems become less familiar, there isn’t always a textbook example that looks exactly like the situation in front of them. They need to be able to think, and sometimes think outside the box to be able to solve such problems. And memorisation alone will take a child only so far.

Learning Should Go Beyond the Test

Tests can tell us something about what a child remembers. But one test cannot always tell us how deeply they understand a subject. The real value of learning is what remains when the textbook is closed and the test is over.

Can your child explain it? Can they question it? Can they connect it to something else? Can they use it to solve a problem? Can they teach someone else? These are the moments when knowledge becomes useful. Because learning isn’t simply about having the right answer. It’s about understanding what that answer means, and knowing what to do with it.