Rote learning is a term for a learning technique which focuses on fixing information in your memory through repetition (memorization), and has traditionally been the backbone of elementary school curricula throughout the world. In the United States, rote learning has been strongly criticized by some educators who believe that the process involves learning facts without developing a deeper understanding of them. These critics characterize rote learning as “out of style,” “ghastly boring” and “mindless.” They argue, for example, that memorizing vocabulary words is pointless if children do not know how to use them in conversation. On the other hand, proponents of rote learning maintain that it is a condition precedent in the learning process which establishes a foundation for the development of the deeper understanding that will develop with time. Moreover, they also defend memorization as an absolute necessity in some areas, such as learning multiplication tables, state capitals, foreign languages and steps in a complex process or equation.

The general consensus today is in agreement with the critics of rote learning, and new national curriculum standards have been refashioned to reflect the belief that instant recall is superfluous in the internet age. In fact, today’s technology has people insisting that school children “should no longer be forced to memorize facts and figures because such information is readily available on the internet.” However, it is not entirely clear that dismissing all forms of rote learning will in fact make students stronger in the long run; many an elementary teacher insists that the process of rote learning may well serve as a catalyst to the development of the brain as a whole, leading the way to the possibility of higher order thinking down the road.

Despite having fallen out of favor in the United States, the rote learning system is still enthusiastically practiced around the world, particularly in Asian countries such as India, China and Japan. Notably, these nations are admired for their high test scores in mathematics and science in international comparisons. While it is admirable that teachers are now devoting more classroom time on developing higher order thinking skills, the all-or-nothing approach to curriculum reform that prevails in the U.S. education system leaves no room for assessing different scholastic subjects differently. The best approach for learning math and science for example, as reflected in the much higher aptitude scores found in Asian countries, might be the old fashioned, repetition and drills approach of rote learning. However, subjects that require more analytic thinking, such as humanities subjects, should eschew rote learning in favor of critical analysis.

At the end of the day, it is clear that both approaches to learning are relevant, and when truly examined, are almost inseparable. Neither approach should be adopted as the absolute be-all or end-all approach to teaching America’s children.

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