Memories are stored in a very particular way; the child sees or hears something which is termed as encoding of sensory information. The sensory information is then organized in the brain close to alike memories. The brain can then do one of two things with the memory; it can either throw it away due to a failure to revisit the memory or it can continue to live on through constant reminder of the memory. For example, a child hears his mom speaking to her friend about the terrible traffic. Later that day, the child’s dad comes home from work and speaks about the terrible traffic again. The child might have forgotten about the traffic comment, but being reminded about it by hearing his dad, enabled him to retrieve the information from the memory bank and revisit the memory – consolidating the memory and keeping it fresh.

Another reason for sensory information being stored in a child’s long term memory is an increased interest in the information.  If the child in genuinely interested in the sensory information is encoded, he might explore it further. When it comes to learning, there are 7 types of learning styles:

• Visual
• Aural
• Verbal
• Physical
• Logical
• Social
• Solitary

By understanding a child’s learning style and adjusting the way that they encode information, the retrieval of memories and information will be higher. Giving a child the opportunity to have a personal interest in learning allows them the chance to explore it in their own style.