In the book
How to Teach Piano Successfully, Bastien says, "The student should
think while practicing, not just play by rote." (Bastien, p. 246)
Now that is some great (albeit somewhat obvious) advice - think while you practice! If your students learn their pieces thoughtfully and thoroughly, they should have no problem when it gets to the memorizing stage. Here are a few ideas to get you
thinking...hehe...
Ways you can encourage thinking while practicing:
Saying letter names out loud
Counting rhythms out loud
Forcing your brain to learn the notes, not just your fingers
Not letting your mind wander while practicing...
Writing out the chords
Looking for patterns in the chords or in the melody
Knowing the form of the piece
What do you have to add to the list?