Mnemonic strategies have been tested and proven to be extremely helpful in helping students grasp various mathematical concepts, including simple math equations. Gifted students, average students and even students with learning disabilities all benefit from using mnemonic strategies. In essence, mnemonics associates a concept with a visual image or acoustic cue, sometimes through rhyming links, which help you remember information. Mnemonic devices are broken down into three separate strategies, "Letter," "Pegword" and "Keyword."
The Letter strategy uses acronyms to link a concept in the brain. Acrostics also appear in the Letter strategy and are often referred to as sentence mnemonics. The first letters of the word you are using in the strategy is linked to the concept or information the student needs to learn. An example of this strategy in math is STAR, which stands for: Search the word problem, Translate the words into an equation in picture form, Answer the problem, Review the solution. A problem-solving strategy, STAR is just one of many Letter strategies for math.
The Pegword mnemonic strategy works by using rhyming words that represent numbers students need to remember. For this strategy to be truly effective, students must first understand the pegwords, or rhyming words, so that they can later associate them correctly. Students will eventually associate the pegwords visually with the corresponding numbers. One example is the multiplication set 6x6, in which the pegword would be "sticks" which represents the number "six." Ultimately, the multiplication set turns into "sticks" x "sticks" and the solution will be "dirty sticks," or 36. Students must first completely grasp the idea that "sticks" represents six before this strategy can be effective. You can do the same for a number of mathematical equations.
Typically used to learn multiplication facts, the Keyword strategy is effective because it helps students associate mathematical information with images or concepts they already know. Visual images are linked to certain multiplication facts within a set, or family, for instance the 2 "family."
In this set, 2x2 can become a car with two sets of wheels, which will help the student understand that the answer is four. On the same note, 3x2 can become a six pack of soda, which ultimately represents the problem's solution. There are a number of associations that you can make and teach to students struggling with their multiplication tables.