Behavior of a student, who is studying at the language university, and has to study foreign language, is rather interesting for analysis. These students have to memorize unknown words every day. They have to study the culture and traditions of the country where the studied language is spoken. Tutor makes them memorize the traditional names and the friendly forms of these names. Students have to write essays every week on different topics. The home assignments are given every day, and half of the assignments are fully creative. When the new set of topic vocabulary is studied, the students perform short scenes, using these vocabularies. Students are also advised to watch movies without subtitles, and learn the verses of the songs. The movies and the songs students select themselves.
Concept Identification
This case entails several concepts, closely linked with short-term and long-term memory, psychology of verbal communication, and the matters the information perception by the brain. After the tutor had explained one of the means of memorizing random information, another concept may was added, closely linked with memory capabilities of the brain. In order to explain these concepts, the cognitive and psychology of communication will be used.
Explanation
It is stated that temporal lobe of brain cortex is responsible for memory. The links between neurons in this lobe are constantly changing, making us remember, recall and forget any information. Originally, the links are stronger, if the information is linked with several resources (i.e. if it is associated with something that is already in long-term memory), thus, creation of associative row helps to memorize information. This association may be connected with some clearly realized image, which would serve like a label, or a card in a catalogue. The method, which a tutor offered is systematizing the information. If the data is arranged in strict order it is much easier to remember. It is a kind of associating; however the association links are set up among the bits of newly memorized data. First of all the remembered information gets into the lobe of short-term memory, and if the brain decides that it is useful, this information comes to long-term memory lobe.
The associative memory improves, when students perform scenes and actions using, when the sing songs on the foreign language: the order of the words in the lyrics simplify the memorizing of the words used in it. Inventing dialogues and discussing the everyday issues students learn to communicate and study their own language (“He, who knows no foreign language, doesn’t know his own one” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe)
As for the communication, it has been proved by communication psychologist Dale Carnegie (1990), that the best sound for any human is the sound of his or her name. People tend to trust those, who call them by name. That is why it is rather useful advice for businessmen and those who work with people. That is why, students are obliged to know the peculiarities of foreign names.
Conclusion
Cognitive psychology and psychology of communication is useful not only for explaining the educational process, but also for explaining the decision taking procedures and means, and lots of others.
References
Carnegie, D. (1990) “How to Win Friends & Influence People” Pocket; 1st Printing edition
Myers. D. G. (2004) “Psychology” Worth Publishers