Three types of verbal learning tasks are typically seen in classrooms. What are they? Give several examples of each

Question

The choice of a learning strategy should depend on the nature of the material to be learned. For two of the types of tasks you described above, suggest strategies that would be effective for classroom learning, and explain why each of these strategies suits its task.

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Three types of verbal learning tasks typically seen in classrooms are paired-associate learning, serial learning, and free recall learning. Paired-associate learning tasks involve learning to respond with one member of a pair when given the other member of the pair. For example, learning the multiplication table would be an example of paired-associate learning. Serial learning involves learning items in a particular order. The alphabet, poetry, and songs are serial learning tasks. Free recall learning tasks may also involve memorizing a list, but not in a special order. Recalling state capitals is an example of a free recall task.
A mnemonic such as keyword method would be an appropriate learning strategy for paired-associate learning, whereas organizing a list into categories would be helpful on a free recall task.