Flex 1.0 Class 17 Bridge Sample
CLASS 17 | REPEAT AFTER ME!
Teach a simple repetition strategy to boost learning and recall.
TRAINER OVERVIEW
- Whiteboard or flip chart and markers
- Class 17 TBH Take This Home cards, enough for each student.
WELCOME TO CLASS
- Welcome everyone.
- Introduce the class topic.
Welcome to today’s class! Our topic is “Repeat After Me!”
Today we will learn a simple memory strategy that can help us learn and remember things such as names and errands. We will work all together and take our time to practice and support each other.
Our TBH Blueprint focus is the “Strategize” action point.
We will be working on the following thinking skills today:
- Perception
- Attention
- Nimbleness
- Verbal Skills
- Memory
- Problem Solving
- Executive Control
Hand out the TBH Welcome Packet to all new students for a more complete introduction.
TBH LET'S GET IT STARTED
- Get everyone ready to learn with this seated toes-to-top
warmup. - Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
We are going to start with a great warm-up for our bodies and brains called TBH Let’s Get It Started.
It is a wonderful way to get us ready to focus and learn together. We’ll do this right at our seats at the beginning of every class. Just watch what I do and follow along!
(At end of warmup) Great job, everyone! We are started up and ready to go!
FEET GET STARTED!
- Tap toes on both feet, up and down. 10 repetitions. Count together 1 to 10.
- Alternate toe taps. 10 repetitions. Count together using the alphabet A to J.
LEGS GET STARTED!
- Stamp feet on the ground, alternating feet. Make “noise” with group.
- Gently kick legs out from the knee, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. Count together from A to J.
- March in place, alternating legs. 10 repetitions. If your class is physically able to march in place safely while standing, you may choose that option. Count together from 1 to 10.
ARMS GET STARTED!
- Gently shake arms, open and close hands.
- Circle wrists a few times in clockwise and counterclockwise.
- Hold arms straight out in front, shoulder level, palms facing down. Slowly lower both hands to thighs and then raise them back to shoulder level. 5 repetitions. Count from 1 to 5.
- Shrug shoulders up and down, with hands on knees. 5 repetitions. Count from A to E.
VOICES GET STARTED!
- Say “OHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “EHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “AHHHHHHHHHH.” Have group say sound with you. Hold for a few seconds.
- Say “OH – EH – AH.” Hold each sound for a few seconds. 3 repetitions.
BREATH GETS STARTED!
- Slow focus to bring awareness to sitting still in chair.
- Take a deep breath in through the nose.
- Exhale out through the mouth.
- Give selves big hug, wrapping arms across waist and squeezing gently, as able.
- Thank selves and send some “TBH love” to our brains!
Click for the TBH Let’s Get It Started! complete guide.
LEARN THE TBH SCIENCE
Present the science behind the class.- Allow for brief discussion of the science with your students.
Living with changes to our memory can make it harder for us to learn new information, like a name or directions. The good news is that research shows using simple memory strategies can help us learn and remember better, even when mild memory loss is a challenge.
It may take us longer to learn a memory strategy. We also may need more time to practice it. But having a way to help ourselves remember better is a great tool that is worth the extra work!
NOW DO IT!
All together practice the repetition strategy to boost recall. - Adapt as needed to include everyone as they are able.
Today we are going to practice a simple memory strategy together. It is called the Repetition Strategy.
Do you ever find you repeat something to yourself to help remember it better? That is exactly how the Repetition Strategy works. When we repeat information we want to learn, we give ourselves more time to pay attention to it. We also give ourselves more opportunity to learn it, which makes It more likely we will. You can think of using the repetition strategy as a way of rehearsing the thing you want to learn and remember.
We are going to take our time practicing the Repetition Strategy together. I’m going to share a word on the (whiteboard/flip chart). Next, we will repeat the word together. We will practice repeating it out loud. We will practice repeating it to ourselves. Then we will (flip the page/erase the board) and see what we remember. We’ll keep adding words to our list as we learn, so that we keep making it a bit more challenging.
I don’t expect we will master the Repetition Strategy before the end of our session – that’s ok! Learning a memory strategy takes a lot of practice. Our goal is to try it together and to encourage each other as we learn. You can continue to practice it on your own after class.
- Lead your class in this workout to personalize their learning of the science.
- Select one of the word lists below. Next, write the first word from the list on the whiteboard/flip chart.
- Repeat the word aloud with the class. Repeat several times, making sure everyone is participating.
- Erase the whiteboard/flip the page.
- Ask class to recall together aloud the word learned.
- As students master recalling a word, add one additional word from the list. Repeat the workout.
- Continue as time allows, adding additional words from the list as students master the words.
- Encourage students to participate and support each other.
- When repeating this class, use different word lists.
“REPEAT AFTER ME!” WORD LISTS
List 1 Eye, Ear, Nose, Mouth, Arm, Hand, Finger, Leg, Foot, Toe
List 2 Apple, Pear, Orange, Peach, Plum, Lemon, Lime, Grapes, Banana, Grapefruit
List 3 Paper, Desk, Printer, Pencil, Eraser, Stapler, Scissor, Tape, Stamp, File
List 4 John, Susan, Tom, Mary, Peter, Alice, Robert, Anne, Michael, Florence
List 5 Milk, Eggs, Bread, Lettuce, Cucumber, Tomato, Flour, Rice, Blueberries, Ice cream
Make It Harder. Increase the number of words to be recalled using the Repetition Strategy.
Make It Easier. Do not remove the word/s from the whiteboard/flip chart.
One-to-One Delivery. Use the word lists for one-to-one training.
Virtual Delivery. Encourage distance learners to follow along.
TBH TAKEAWAY
Share this brief wrap-up to end the workout.- Distribute the TBH Take This Home card for this class.
- Ask students to share how they feel after today’s class.
A simple memory strategy can help us learn and remember better when we are living with mild memory changes. The Repetition Strategy asks us to repeat information to help us learn it better. It was good to practice the Repetition Strategy together today, and to support each other.
Here is a TBH Take This Home card for this class. It will remind you what we learned together today so you can keep practicing on your own.
What did you like best about today’s workout?
TBH TAKE A BREATH
- Lead this cooldown exercise to end class.
- Use the TBH music to set your pace, or choose your own.
Let’s wrap up with “TBH Take a Breath.” Being mindful and sharing some positive thoughts gives us a chance to think about what we have learned together and how we can use it in our daily lives. Research shows that mindfulness practices like this supports brain health when living with dementia. And it is a wonderful way to end our time in class together.
- Have students get comfortable, resting both feet flat on the floor, hands resting in their laps.
- Have students close their eyes and keep them gently closed.
- Ask students to focus their attention on their breathing, noticing the rate and rhythm of their breath. Allow them to focus on their natural breathing for a few moments.
- Instruct students to begin rhythmic breathing. Ask them to inhale slowly and deeply through their nostrils, breathing gently into their chest and belly. Then ask them to exhale slowly through their lips, slowing the rate and rhythm of their breath.
- Have students continue rhythmic breathing, instructing them to continue to focus on gently and slowly inhaling and exhaling, allowing their attention to simply “ride” the wave of their breath. Allow them to focus on rhythmic breathing for several moments.
- Offer the following positive affirmation statements below in a calm, slow voice. Invite students to simply listen, repeat the phrase silently to themselves, or to think about what each statement means to them.
I feel relaxed.
I am grateful for my breath.
I am grateful I can learn new things.
I am grateful I can care for my mind.
I am grateful for myself.
- Pause for several moments.
- End the exercise by inviting students to bring their awareness back to the room, gently opening their eyes and becoming more aware of their surroundings.
- Invite them to end practice with gratitude for taking a moment for themselves, for the chance to learn together and connect with each other.
Click to open the TBH Take A Breath complete guide.
COMING UP NEXT!
- Thank students for attending the class.
- Invite students to join you for the next TBH class.
Thank you for joining me today. I am happy that we can support each other and help each other stay well.
I look forward to seeing you for our next Total Brain Health Class!
CLASS RESOURCES
TBH TAKEAWAY HANDOUTS
Download and provide your students with the following handouts.
Class 17 TBH Take This Home Card. Use the Class 17 TBH Take This Home cards for the TBH Takeaway closing activity. Print out enough copies of the cards so that each class member has one to take home. Print the cards two-sided and in color. Cut them apart. If possible, laminate the cards for easier handling and durability. If you’d like, punch a hole in the card and provide a small mountable hook so students can keep the cards in a visible spot at home.
