learn by rote

Palestinian Education Minister Sabri Saidam counts on technology - along with a new emphasis on vocational training - to overhaul Palestinian schools, where many students still learn by rote in crowded classrooms.

A lot of players learn by rote so that things eventually become automatically - that's difficult to do in a short space of time unless you have the natural talent.

Traditionally, Afghan children learn by rote memorization.

And they know, as do many of the rest of us, that it’s pretty much a waste of their time to learn by rote to simply pass tests.

"Homework provides time to practise - it provides time to embed the things that are useful to learn by rote, such as times tables, vocabulary, spelling, irregular verbs and handwriting."