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Each new term comes with a new batch of student names to learn. While some instructors are able to master a large number of student names in a short amount of time, most of us struggle with this task, even though we are aware of its many benefits. Not surprisingly, students whose instructors learn their names, or make an honest attempt to do so, feel more valued, more engaged, and have a stronger sense of belonging in their courses.
Michelle D. Miller, professor of psychology offers teachers a clear explanation of what is really going on when we learn a name, and a science-based approach for using this knowledge to pedagogical advantage.
To help us out, Miller provides evidence-informed tips for enhancing name encoding, storage, and retrieval:
Attend : all learning requires attention, so make sure to focus closely on the task of absorbing student names as they are shared.
Say : repeating the student’s name several times will activate output phonology (the weakest link in name recall!) as well as providing the student with an opportunity to correct your pronunciation. (You can use phrases like, “Hello X” or “Welcome to the class Z” to practice name repetition.)
Associate : create a mental association between the sound of the name and the student. You can do this by (1) linking the sound of their name with a like-sounding object, or similarly-named celebrity or family member and then (2) associating that object/person with the student in question by creating a mental image that links them together. (For example, if my student’s name is Sejal, I can link her name to the like-sounding word “sage” and then create an association by imagining the student holding a bouquet of sage sprigs.)
Retrieve : take every opportunity to actively retrieve names by greeting students as they come to class, calling them by name during class, using names when returning student work, saying goodbye at the end of class, etc.
Reference: Miller, M. D. (2024). A Teacher’s Guide to Learning Student Names: Why You Should, Why It's Hard, How You Can (Vol. 2). University of Oklahoma Press. (A review copy is available through CTL staff)
Other ideas to learn students' names
Use name tents.
Ask students to write their names in large letters on both sides of a folded 5 x 8 index card and to keep this card on their desks for the first few classes.
Annotate your class roster.
When you meet the class for the first time, take a few extra seconds for each student to identify his or her most 1-2 outstanding features or other noticeable traits. Be sure to include ways of pronouncing names that are unfamiliar to you.
Use a seating chart for the first 2-3 classes.
Ask students to sit in the same place for a few classes to help you learn their names more quickly.
Learn a few names at a time.
Use the time just before and after class to learn 5-10 names per class. Or invite students to your office in small groups to learn a little about them in addition to their names. Both approaches reinforce that you are interested in the concerns of individual students.
Ask students to write something about themselves.
Ask students to tell you something to make them and their names more memorable, e.g., where they are from, what they like to read or do for fun, or their long-term goals.
Ask students to introduce each other to the class.
Give students 2-3 minutes in pairs to interview each other and discover something that "no one can forget." Go around the room asking students to introduce each other, allowing about 1 minute per pair.
Use mnemonics.
Associating a person's name with some identifiable feature. Often you can relate the name (or key words with similar sounds) to something more meaningful and concrete with visual images. For example, a student named Logan Ward can be visualized carrying a log on his head.
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