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Rote learning is a learning technique which avoids grasping the inner complexities and inferences of the subject that is being learned and instead focuses on memorizing the material so that it can be recalled by the learner exactly the way it was read or heard. In other words, it is learning "just for the test".
The major practice involved in rote learning techniques is learning by repetition, based on the idea that one will be able to recall the meaning of the material the more they repeat it. However, in many fields, especially mathematics and related disciplines, this can often produce poor results.
Rote learning is sometimes disparaged with the derogative terms parrot fashion, regurgitation or mugging because one who engages in rote learning may give the wrong impression of having understood what they have written or said. However, some material can only be learned in this fashion. For example, when learning the Latin alphabet, the vocabulary of a foreign language or the conjugation of foreign irregular verbs, one must simply memorize because there is little or no inner complexity that can be grasped. Rote learning can be risky because institutions, systems and people have a tendency to fixate on its benefits. The system is widely practiced in schools across India, Pakistan, People's Republic of China, Singapore and Greece .
This term can also refer to learning music by ear, a practice used with those who cannot (yet) read musical notation. However, many music teachers make a clear distinction between the two approaches.
Reasons For Rote Learning
Though rote learning is usually not necessary there are many reasons why people resort to it. Bad teachers is one of the key reasons. Some teachers do not know the subject themselves and hence are unable to explain the essence to their students. This is a major problem that plagues higher education especially in India where the teachers at colleges are usually poorly trained. Many teachers also criticize innovative methods of problem solving thus discouraging the student, who eventually resorts to rote learning to please the teacher.
Some teachers are forced to ask their students to memorize because the board, which conducts the final examination, expects a particular answer. If this answer is not given then the student may lose marks. Another factor that makes many teachers encourage learning by the rote is that these external examinations may be corrected by people who themselves have little knowledge about the subject and may penalise the student for not writing the exact answer as is mentioned in the answer key. Again this problem is very prevalent in countries like India where the number of students writing the examination is very high, making it virtually impossible to standardise the correction process.
Many times, especially in countries where education standards cannot be enforced easily, the question papers are set in a way that encourages learning by rote. The students who try to understand the subject are considered to be wasting time because the paper can be cracked on the basis of rote knowledge only. This encourages otherwise diligent and intelligent students to resort to rote learning, even though they may be capable of understanding the subject.
In addition, rote learning is also exercised by many Muslims to learn the Koran by heart in Arabic. Since the language is foreign to many Muslims who learn the holy book, often the focus is on memorising rather than understanding - especially since many learners are of a very young age.
Sources
- Teaching From the Balance Point by Edward Kreitman
"Rote learning"