Week 4 – Discussion Board 2

[Art Liebl]

From the video, what are the techniques to good mental retention? Comment on the presentation you watched at Vimeo.com and what you thought about the ideas presented. Respond to two fellow students by Monday.

[Leonisa Avelino]

From the video, several techniques were highlighted to improve mental retention. One effective method is focusing on the message through visualization. Images which help the brain hold onto information more easily. Making associations with things we already know also strengthens memory by creating familiar connections. The backwards drill technique, where you reverse the order of information, can reinforce learning by challenging the brain in a different way. Face-to-face encounters, especially in a triadic position, help increase brain stimulation through active engagement. Note-taking is another helpful tool. Using symbols or abbreviations and paying close attention to key details like dates, times, medicines, dosages, names, and numbers can boost memory. Idea mapping is useful for organizing important thoughts and information in a way that’s easier to remember and communicate. In addition, learning new vocabulary using flashcards and repeating the words out loud helps with memorization. Using physical stimulus, such as clapping your hands or tapping your leg every time you say a word, can make the learning more active and memorable. Finally, maintaining a healthy diet and getting regular exercise, such as walking or running, also improve mental retention. A healthy diet supports brain function, while avoiding too much sugar and increasing oxygen flow through exercise keeps the brain sharp and focused.
I think these techniques are powerful and they form a solid toolkit for anyone trying to improve memory. These techniques work together to strengthen mental retention, which is essential for interpreters who need to recall and relay information accurately in real time.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Leonisa, thank you for sharing the physical stimulus technique and how it works. I found it to be very interesting that the brain tends to retain information better if the learning process is more active. The video was packed with valuable information to help us along the journey so I will definitely try to incorporate some of these techniques when reviewing vocabulary to see which ones work best for me.

[Milleny Arantess]

Hi Leonisa,
I agree with all of your points. I think that my favorite method for good mental retention is visualization, it’s so fun and seems to give you so much creative liberty so we have to remember since we’re the ones that came up with the image that relates to the word.

[Cristina Restrepo]

The video presented many techniques to improve mental retention. The first of them being visualization and association which is the idea of transforming abstract information such as words and converting them into vivid images and linking them together, in order to enhance recall and understanding.

Another method that was really interesting to learn was the backwards drill which involved changing the order of the information to be interpreted to start with the last thing that was said and go backwards until you reach the beginning of the idea. What counts is that the message being conveyed is the same not paying attention to the order of ideas. This technique works well when you want to interpret right away things such as numbers, names of medications, dates, difficult terminology etc. Along the same lines goes note taking for the medical interpreter as it takes into account things that are hard to remember such as numbers, medicines, dosages, names, dates, times etc. Symbols are very helpful when taking notes as they simplify words and allow you to be more efficient.

Lastly comes idea mapping, which is a powerful visual thinking tool that enhances memory, note taking skills, thought organizing, planning, creativity and communication. This technique uses color, keywords, lines and images to connect thoughts associatively. This approach frees you to think, see and understand the whole picture far more effectively than when using a multi-page, linear document outlining the same information.

All of the techniques mentioned are great tools to utilize when working on our mental retention skills as they set the foundation for a successful career in the medical interpreting profession.

[Yona Souza]

Cristina, Thanks for sharing information about the bennefits of mapping from the video! I also agree with your point since visualizing a clear and organized map, helps keep our thoughts organized and clear as well, it’s an awesome way to track our thinking and the cronology of events as well.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Christina these are fantastic toolkit—transforming words into vivid images through visualization and association, drilling backwards to anchor key details, using streamlined symbols in note‑taking, and mapping ideas visually. Together, these techniques create a flexible, high‑impact approach to lock in complex medical information and deliver accurate interpretations under pressure.

[Joseph Matthews]

As pertains to sound mental retention techniques, the video placed key emphasis on visualization and association which facilitates the interpreter connecting new information with vivid mental images. This makes abstract ideas more tangible and easier to recall. Concentrating of rote word memorization is a dead end while focusing on images connects the dots in a much more effective manner. We also need to practice backward drills when repeating a phrase as the brain tends to recall best what is said last and then moving backwards from there. It works!
Counterintuitively, our ears are poor tools for mental retention. It is what we see that is key as most of the information processed by the brain is via our eyes. Additionally, face-to-face encounters increase and enhance brain stimulation and mental retention as we learned in the example of Triadic Positioning in chapter 2.
We also need to hone our skills in effective note taking. Once again, the ear is deceptive. We need to portray our notes in images such as exclamation points, arrows, equal signs, etc. that convey the message in a much more effective manner. Moreover, we need to focus our notes on the key issues in the encounter such as numbers, medicines, dosages, name and timelines. To tie this section off, the integrity of the message is more important than getting the sequencing of what is said.
Finally, we need to develop (1) How to employ sound idea mapping to enhance mental retention. Discard the “fluff” while pictorializing the exploratory questions and then follow that up with the information that adds the real value, (2) Learn the key vocabulary via practice and repetition and (3) Good exercise and a sound diet are great tools to oxygenate the brain which lead to enhanced mental retention.

[Yona Souza]

Joseph, I like how you emphasized that our ears are deceptive, as mentioned in the video, the techniques you wrote about are great, getting rid of the “fluff”, information doesn’t add the real value! Practicing the skills mentioned in the video is definitely the best way to train our brains and ears to take what’s really important.

[Lesly Betancur]

Joseph, I agree that visualization and association are powerful tools for making abstract ideas more memorable. The point you made about our ears being less reliable than our eyes for retention is especially interesting, visual cues do play a huge role in memory.

[Joseph Matthews]

Leonisa – your point is well taken of specific physical techniques such as foot tapping and knee slapping also enhance the brain’s ability to retain information. Every lit but helps!

[Joseph Matthews]

Cristina – I liked the way you conveyed the approach to idea mapping to enhance mental retention with the emphasis you placed on ideas, pictures, concepts, etc. which is a new concept for me as this goes beyond and above the traditional concept of flow-charting.

[Cristina Restrepo]

Joseph, the concept of idea mapping is also new to me, however, I can see how useful it is to simplify and summarize the important details of the encounter, and at glance be able to tell the whole story. Definitely a great tool to successfully take notes as the encounter is taking place.

[Yona Souza]

As seen in the video, one of the most powerful ways to retain information is by visualizing it, since about 10 million bits of information go into our brain every second through our eyes, in comparison, only one million bits of information are sent to the brain from all other four sources of senses combined (nose, ear, mouth, and skin). It was very interesting to learn how our brain can retain and connect information more efficiently when we visualize or associate, rather than simply hearing words, and then attempting to memorize what we heard.

A good way to practice retention is to create a mental image to retain information, such as symptoms, feelings, chronology of events, and difficult words. Another way to make the interpreting session more effective and smooth is to use the backward drilling technique, where the interpreter starts by conducting the harder information or important terminology first, that is, the information that is harder to mess up or forget, and then tying that to the easier and all other information said. A good thing highlighted in the video was that interpreters must rely on integrity; they can’t make up any information, add or subtract anything from the dialogue heard, However, interpreters may conduct the information in a different order than it was given by the speaker, as long as it covers everything that was said with integrity, which reminds of the commutative trick used in math multiplication: the order of factors doesn’t change the final product. I also enjoyed learning how to make my notes more effective by only writing down useful information and what’s most important, drawing symbols, and also mapping!

[Milleny Arantess]

Yona, you brought up such a good point! Our eyes are way more competent than any other senses we have. It’s so interesting to learn about and what’s even more fascinating is the fact that images that we create in our mind can help us remember more than just listening to what is being said.

[Lesly Betancur]

Yona, I really liked how you emphasized the power of visualization and how much more information our brain processes through our eyes versus other senses, it’s such a helpful reminder to use that to our advantage. The backward drill technique you mentioned is also a smart way to handle challenging terms during interpretation. And I agree, the comparison to the commutative property in math was a clever way to explain the flexibility interpreters have with order, as long as the message stays intact and remains accurate.

[Milleny Arantess]

There are many interesting techniques for good mental retention that were shown in the video. I want to talk about association, visualization, backward drill technique.
Association is when you use things you already know like words, numbers, symbols, or meanings to connect and make learning something new easier. Basically take what you already know and connect it to something else, for example we all know what cars are so let’s say you use the word cars as an acronym to stand for credibility, accuracy, reasonableness and support, CARS.
Visualization is when you visualize an image that connects to the word you heard. This means that when your interpreting and the patient said that had a fever and then threw up instead of remembering the words fever and vomit visualize a thermometer or someone laying in bed with an ice pack on their head for fever and someone actually vomiting for vomit. Visualizing what is being said will help you remember it.
The backward drill technique is when you interpret what was said last first. Basically if the provider said: Your results came back and you have covid 19, to lower any pain you might have take 500mg of tylenol every 8 hours for 3 days. Interpret it to the patient like this: Take 500mg of tylenol every 8 hours for 3 days so you can lower pain you might have because your results show that you have covid 19. This will help you get rid of all the numbers that might confuse you first.
There are many more techniques like idea mapping and note taking that are also very interesting and effective. I thought all the ideas presented were very cool and definitely will help me when I’m interpreting.

[Leonisa Avelino]

Hi Milleny,
I really liked how you explained association and visualization—it made your examples so relatable and easy to understand. The CARS acronym was a clever way to show how we can connect new ideas to things we already know. I also agree that the backward drill technique is super helpful, especially when dealing with numbers or complex instructions. All these techniques will definitely make us better interpreters!

[Lesly Betancur]

I really enjoyed this video; it provides valuable insights into techniques for enhancing mental retention. By incorporating strategies such as visualization and association, backwards drill, idea mapping, and prioritizing sleep and nutrition, we can significantly improve our ability to retain and recall information. These methods are not only scientifically supported but also cater to different learning styles, making them accessible and effective for a wide range of learners.
Visualization, where images help the brain retain information, is an effective method. Associating new information with familiar concepts strengthens memory by creating connections. The backwards drill technique, which involves reversing the order of information, challenges the brain and reinforces learning. Face-to-face encounters, particularly in triadic settings, stimulate the brain through active engagement. Note taking, using symbols or abbreviations for key details like dates, names, and numbers, is another helpful tool. Idea mapping organizes information for easier recall and communication. Flashcards and repeating new vocabulary aloud aid memorization, while physical stimuli like clapping or tapping enhance learning. A healthy diet and regular exercise, such as walking or running, also boost mental retention by supporting brain function and increasing oxygen flow.
I think these techniques are invaluable for enhancing mental retention, providing a strong foundation for a successful career in medical interpreting. I will definitely use these techniques to improve my mental retention.

[Author]

Posts