Scripture Memory System – large passages

When we are learning longer passages, like an entire Psalm, I break down the passage into chunks that we can memorize in a week, and each week add one more section until we have the entire thing memorized.  We would review the passage at least every-other-day until complete.

We do what mama_nickles does.  We recite (or I recite/read) the entire passage for weeks (or months) one time each day (on days that are good days *L*). When I first started teaching my daughters memory verses, I was so concerned about getting them to memorize the verses in 2 weeks…..and that was a dismal failure.  Now, we just work on a passage until we know it.

I also used to do just single verses – but it’s so hard to keep them all straight and to remember the addresses.  Now, we only do passages (up to 15 verses in a row!).  And while we sometimes get a little confused, I’ve noticed that in church, my girls’ eyes light up when they hear the preacher say part of a passage we’ve studied.  Also, they get a better gist of what the verses mean when they learn the whole passage.  (And my goal is to get them to understand and apply the gist – I’m not really after word-perfect recitations, although that’s nice when it happens.)

I have found that reciting/reading the passage twice a day (At mealtimes, usually) results in learning the passage quicker.  We typically only recite our memory passage once per day (unless it’s crunch time for a passage that they’re to learn in Sunday School.)

I had also heard Sonya recommend doing the entire passage each day for as long as it takes.  For our family, though, and with preschoolers in the mix, that wasn’t workable for us.

jawgee, my youngest is 5 – we’ve been doing passages for a LONG time, ever since she can remember.  And while she certainly doesn’t remember all the passages we’ve done, I’m amazed at the phrases she does remember.

With my youngest, I don’t really even concentrate on her, as far as memorizing verses is concerned.  Passages are all she’s ever known for memory work, so now, at 5, she’s in Good News Club and can memorize those verses so quickly.   Even for Sunday School, she memorizes quickly.  I’m thinking it’s because she’s been hearing the phrasing, the style in which the Bible is written – and so, because the style is familiar to her, she can memorize easily.

I would encourage you to try passages with all your children (all learning the same passage – otherwise you’ll go crazy).  Obviously, you need NOT start with a 15-verse passage.  There are lots of 4, 5, 10 verse passages that are beautiful (think Psalms or sections of Proverbs or sections of parables) and well-worth memorizing.

The worst part is keeping your children on-task (attention) for the whole passage.  That’s another reason to start with shorter passages.  (It’s only recently that we’ve been working on a 15-verse passage.)  There’s the habit training that comes into play – the habit of paying attention.  Even now, I still have to stop sometimes and say, “Everybody say it with me……H, your mouth isn’t moving.”  Or “Close that picture book until we’re done with our Bible memory.”  (They think they can look at books while we’re doing Bible memory! What is that??!?!)

In short, it’s not easy with any age, but I encourage everyone to start while their children are young.

We do the whole passage at once. I actually just went on the Bible App and printed pretty verses out at Walgreens. In the app you can “make picture” with how ever many verses you choose and pick a font and background. I had 26 4×4 pictures printed for $6 and now they are pretty on my wall.