How to learn your lines

How to learn your lines, memorise a speech or prepare for an exam.

It is important to realize that each individual has a different way of processing and remembering information.

Many adults and children struggle to learn lines, so with this in mind, here is one way that may help you with the process.

Whatever you have to learn, a script, a poem, a speech, a presentation or even a driving theory test, it is important that you fully understand what you are saying. So…

Once you have read, understood and made notes on your script/speech etc, it is then time to commit it to memory.

Here is a method to help you with this…

• Read and re-read the text several times.
  
  
• Memorise the text line by line.
  
  
• Without using your script, write out the line you have just memorised.
  
  
•  Check it for accuracy.
  
  
• If it is incorrect, look at the line again and mark your mistakes, write out the line again.
  
  
• Place the script  down and write out the line again, now check it again for mistakes. Once it is completely correct you can move on to the next line. This may take several attempts, the more times you write the line out, the more the line will be committed to your memory.
  
  
•  Continue to do this line by line until you have worked through the entire script/speech. Write out the lines again and again until there are no mistakes.
  
  
• Embedding your lines to your memory is different for everyone. However by writing out your lines this can speed up the process for some. Sleep also helps to reinforce learned material. So by giving yourself time in between learning sessions can be super beneficial. (I always pop my script under my pillow at night)

 If there is a part of the script you are struggling with, try and link to a visual image or word association to help you.

• Now record your lines onto your phone and listen to them each day.
  
  
• Once you feel confident you have the lines in your head try practising them whilst doing an every day activity like washing up. This helps to get out of your head and free up the dialogue.
  
  
• Keep practising until you feel confident that you know the lines and can move around freely without concentrating just on the lines.

Find a short piece of dialogue and practise using the method above. By learning a few lines of something each day you will certainly improve your memory skills.

Good luck!