These strategies are about ways to increase the number of mental associations that flow between the information that is already in your existent permanent memory and the new material that you want to move through the power of association into permanent memory storage. Associations are like the water in the river. You can't paddle without water. You can't use your language skills without producing and using massive numbers of mental associations.

Learning itself is the process of moving new language into permanent storage and retrieving already stored language for use when you need it. Just as the amount of water in the river effects the strength of the current in certain locations, the number and quality of mental associations that you attach to language materials will strengthen (or weaken) your ability to remember and recall that language. The water in the river you are navigating is your creation. Each of the strategies below will help you create and use your mental associations effectively.