How can I help mys students memorize lines?

Some actors I knew used to record their lines on a casette tape (I guess now, you could make an MP3), and then listen to them over and over again. That seems to really work.

Thanks, @Michael , I’ll pass that on to him.

I had to memorize the lines for Dolly in ‘Hello Dolly’. If you’re not familiar with that play, well, she speaks in long soliloquies. I would read one sentence, close my eyes, say the sentence, then open my eyes and read the sentence again. Then I’d add the next sentence. I kept doing this (building sentence upon sentence) until I had the whole paragraph down by heart.

Vocal recitation is important too. My high school had an annual contest in which students would memorize a 3 to 5 minute piece and recite it. I did a soliloquy from Macbeth, a selection from The Search for Intelligent Life in the Universe, the opening of A Clockwork Orange, and two poems by Big Poppa E. I learned small snippets piece by piece (one of the poems was just a long list, which was easier). I did it the same way with lines of a play, learned little blocks and eventually put them together into bigger ones.

i learned this is AP.Biology…
bounce a bouncyball or tennis ball back and forth while practicing lines.
its something about the movement and the synapses firing in your brain.
it helps commit them to memory and keep them there longer because the synapses connect better!

One of the biggest tips, according to behavioral research, is to start memorizing with the last line first, then the next-to-last, and so on. This way, instead of going from what you know well to what you don’t (which is what happens when you start with the first line) you are going from what you know less well to what you know well, and this is a lot easier and less frustrating.

Mnemonics. Naturally.:)

Make sure he understands what he’s saying- like really understands the motivation and the meaning. That way, even if he forgets the exact words he’s supposed to say, it may help him ad lib well.

Lurve for putting on a school play! I was starting to think those were a thing of the past.

Make up a song or “ditty” to the lines. It helps me. I sing it over and over and over again.

Thank you all so much for your help. Cross your fingers for us this weekend!