How to Memorize

I memorize verses phrase by phrase… it works well and is fast. For example Gen 1:1 -
Memorize "In the beginning"
Then memorize "God created"
Put the two phrases together "In the beginning God created"
Then memorize "the heaven and the earth."
Then recite the whole verse.

I have also heard that it works if you memorize the verses backwards. Start with the last word and begin to add words to it.
e.g. Gen 1:1 Memorize "earth"
Memorize "the earth"
and so on.

Memorizing backwards… interesting concept…

However, I myself am not going to be memorizing this way, since it does not allow you to meditate on the text very well. I'll just stick with memorizing forwards for now. :)

Memorize the verse backwards? That's interesting!

I too, have found it easier to memorize phrase by phrase.
If someone were to ask me a good way to memorize, I would definitly recommend this.

I've heard of the backwards method but have never tried it.

I personally do not memorize backwards, but its supposed to work. When I go phrase by phrase, I go from punctuation mark to punctuation (comma, period, e.g.) most of the time.

Interesting. That's like the reverse way that I memorize verses. :P I memorize them by taking a chunk of 3-8 verses and then just saying them over and over and over again out loud until I can say them all without looking at the flash card/Bible I'm memorizing from…

Perhaps one of the most important parts of a memorized verse are the first three or four words … If you forget one of the first words, everything goes downhill.

Another important part of memorizing is setting goals. I plan to memorize Matthews 5-7 for the Sermon on the Mount badge.
Incentives help you memorize … I was thinking about memorizing the Beatitudes, but I wasn't sure… After they released the sermon on the badge mount, I decided to earn it.
When I don't set goals, I do not add verses as often. With this new goal, I will be adding at about 3 verses a day over a total of around 37 days. After that I am considering memorizing 1 Peter … After that, I'll have to find another goal…
My point is that if you set goals, you memorize more verses and add to the store of the Bible in your heart … So, I would suggest that you set some goals.

I kind of memorize in that way.

Key ways people memorize:
Repetition
Songs, or using pentameter
using silly stories to help them remember.

For more fun, instead of memorizing backwards let us try typing backwards.

31:8 snamoR-
evil lliw uoy ydob fo sdeed eht htaed ot tup uoy tirirpS eht yb fi tub eid lliw uoy hself eht yb evil uoy fI

ok… maybe you don't have to go that far

Another way to memorize that I've heard about is that you write the verse on a chalkboard (you can improvise), recite the verse, erase a word or two, recite the verse, erase more words, and so on …

Cross Quiz does that for you, on the computer (I know, so lazy, huh? :D)! I used that a lot to memorize the local Bible Bee verses. There are several other games you can play on there too, to help memorize verses, but that one is my favorite.

Pretty much every method I've tried for memorizing verses has worked. Usually, I'll use one till I get tired of it, then try something else, that way I don't get burnt out.

Re: the memorizing backwards concept: sounds like it might work, but I've never tried it, and probably won't, as I have several other helpful tools I've proven to be helpful, including Memverse! :)

What is Cross Quiz?

@ Everyone else - incentives also help - once I memorized 20 verses or passages (can't remember which it was; I think it was verses) using an incentive.

Zachary, yes, Cross Quiz does cost something, I don't remember how much though. There are several different "games" for learning verses and several different "games" for reviewing verses. You can also "memorize" verses, but you have to complete the one game (I forget the name, it's the one that takes out a few words at a time and you have to fill in the blank) without making any mistakes on the verse/passage. There is a feature where you can "compete". You have five or ten minutes (it's been a while sense I did it, so I don't remember all the details) to complete the verses it gives for you to type out. If you make a mistake, you lose a point. There was a total of ten possible points per verse. I don't think you could get into negative numbers. If you want, you can post your score. It was pretty fun. Some kids that went to the same Bee as us kept trying to beat my score. :) It was nice to have some friendly competition.

What kind of incentives?

Since I have had Drama most of my High School career, I tend to want to use some thing I learned there when I am stuck …

I start saying the verse, and when I can't remember the start of the verse (verbatim) I sometimes will say "Line!", which just means I need the first word or two so then I can continue reciting it.

In bible bee they have you say "hint", which would also work in place of "line."

Considering that I have a photographic memory, I am mostly a visual learner. Two methods that I find helpful are:

1. Write the verse out over and over and over… until it is somewhat stuck in your brain. :-)
2. Draw a picture to go with each word or phrase. I did this last night with the armor of God. Some sample sketches are an arm w/ muscle for "strong," a fire extinguisher for "extinguish," etc.
   Also, putting the verse to music works for pretty much everyone.

I think I may have a mild photography memory, because if I've studied a Bible Bee card enough, I'm able to picture the lines on the card, and which word ends each line and how each line starts, etc. And that's usually how I best remember the passage. Is anyone else like that?

@Christian – I'm kind of like that as well. What I think is very interesting is, if you asked me a passage that I learned last year for 2011, I could tell you where I was when I learned it, and if I was listening to any music or not (I listened to very quiet and peaceful music while studying that way I could think better….). Very odd, but rather neat at the same time :)

Yeah, I think I could do that with at least several of my cards. For some reason those kinds of things stick in my mind as well. However, I wouldn't have any that I learned while listening to soft music. If I ever listen to music to help me memorize, I turn on the local Christian rock station. :P I don't know what it is, but loud music has always helped me to focus better…

Loud music, while trying to memorize is out of the question for me :) If I accidently learn my verses to a certain tune, I'm bound to be singing that song all day long…until my family can't handle it any more and ask me to stop.

I'm a musical learner…I just found that out last night :)

BTW – have you hear of the accountabiltiy forum? Just curious.

No, I'm not sure what you're talking about. Is it on Memverse?

No, it isn't. It was started after the 2010 National Bible Bee. It's a forum for contestants in the Bible Bee….I can give you the link if you like –

http://accountability-forum.977293.n3.nabble.com/

Thank you. I'll check it out and let my parents know about it. :)