Cross-Cultural Applications of Yodai Mnemonics in Education

Virtually all research on mnemonics has been published in the United States, Canada, and Great Britain. A Japanese educator, Masachika Nakane, developed mnemonics for teaching mathematics, science, spelling, grammar, and English. Whereas most mnemonics help one remember specific facts, Nakane's mnemonics (called Yodai, meaning "the essence of structure") help one remember principles, rules, and procedures. Some Yodai mnemonics have been adapted for teaching mathematical operations with fractions in the United States. This paper describes the mnemonics and reviews research on their effectiveness in instruction. Research questions on the nature of Yodai and on adapting Yodai in Western cultures are suggested.