A Powerful Memory Improvement Drill Using Plain, Old-Fashioned Dice

In this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast, I talk about a cool dice game you can use to put a little variety into you language learning efforts.

If you’d like to learn more about applying these techniques to your personal learning goals, here’s what I suggest.

Check out either How to Learn and Memorize the Vocabulary of Any Language or How to Memorize Names and Faces.

Why Use Dice In Your Memory Palace Networks?

As I discussed in the episode on memorizing backwards, all proper memory techniques involve spaced repetition and elaborative rehearsal.

You’ll also want an element of what is called active recall. You use personalization and variety along with a bit of stretching to help form memories faster with these approaches.

Throwing dice allows you to add a random element that optimizes the primacy and recency effect that make the Memory Palace technique tick.

How To Perform This Memory Improvement Drill Using Dice

The steps are simple:

• Have a Memory Palace
• Have a list of items you want to memorize
• Memorize the items
• Use Recall Rehearsal to start forming long term memories
• Get some dice
• Roll the dice
• Pop into that exact station in your Memory Palace and recall the information encoded there
• Repeat

More Ways To Use Dice Drills To Experience Rapid Memory Improvement

If you’re willing to get a 100-sided die (fun fact: it’s called a Zocchihedron), you can use it to help you master your PAO System.

What’s that?

It’s a means of memorizing numbers quickly. It’s a web of mnemonic images typically based on either the Major Method or the Dominic System.

Here are the steps involved in using dice for practice drills to practice your number systems:

• Develop your first PAO System
• Roll your Zocchihedron
• Rapidly recall your image for the number you see
• Repeat as often as desired

Can you use an online number generator to achieve the exact same effect?

Maybe yes. Maybe no.

Once reason many of us love to use physical dice is that it helps us avoid digital amnesia.

I even use poker dice to help me practice my memdeck work after memorizing a pack of cards.

I’m sure there are more ways to involve dice in your memory improvement drills. Please post any you think of in the comments below.

And thank you for listening to this episode of the Magnetic Memory Method Podcast!