OVERVIEW
This section provides an overview of a number of different retrieval practice activities that can be used in the classroom. After you have looked at all of them, you need to choose one that you will use and practice for the next three weeks.
CHALLENGE GRID
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
This low-stakes activity incorporates retrieval practice, interleaving and spacing. Bjork & Bjork, 2011, talk about creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. Challenge grids do this by interleaving different concepts into the one grid and then challenging students to retrieve information from spaced out time periods. It also gives students the opportunity to be successful and challenged by the same activity.
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
A grid needs to be created with a mixture of questions from previous learning. Students can receive points based off how far back they have to retrieve information from. E.g. A correct answer from “Last lesson” could be worth 1 point while a correct answer from “Further back” could be worth 4 points. Students can also create their own grids to swap with their peers.
To increase accessibility, you could add in images and the option to verbalise or draw answers.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. In M. A. Gernsbacher, R. W. Pew, L. M. Hough, J. R. Pomerantz (Eds.) & FABBS Foundation, Psychology and the real world: Essays illustrating fundamental contributions to society (pp. 56–64). Worth Publishers.
- Retrieval Practice Challenge Grids for the classroom by Kate Jones
- Retrieval Grids: The Good, The Bad, And The Potential Solutions by Andrew Watson
- Jones, K. 2019, “Retrieval Practice: Research and resources for every Classroom.” John Catt Educational Ltd.
BRAIN DUMP
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
A low-stakes, quick and simple activity. Pooja K. Agarwal says, “Free recall facilitates learning of past content, future content, and even students’ organization of knowledge for a variety of subject areas, basic knowledge, and complex learning.”
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
The teacher needs to give students a specific prompt and a brief time limit to individually write as much as they know about that topic. Can be used with spacing and feedback, but still effective on its own. The Ditch That Textbook Team have also looked at how it can be done digitally and verbally here.
It can also be guided in getting students to write down different lists or even just a set number of pieces of information. Scaffolding can be used here to add support by doing things such as prompts and ‘fill in the gaps’.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- Brain Dump: A small strategy with a big impact by Pooja K. Agarwal
- Sticky learning: Digital brain dumps with Flipgrid and Socrative by The Ditch That Textbook Team
- Jones, K. 2019, “Retrieval Practice: Research and resources for every Classroom.” John Catt Educational Ltd.
LOW STAKES QUIZ
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
Roediger and Karpicke, 2006 found the “testing effect” (students performing practice quizzes) to be an effective method for students to retain information. The more the student has to work to retrieve the information, the stronger the memory trace becomes. In Generative Learning, Fiorella and Mayer found getting a close match between practice tests and the real thing will also increase retention. Tests can be valuable, even if learners cannot answer test questions correctly, as long as the tested material is followed by instruction that provides answers to the tested questions (Richland and Cornell, 2009).
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
Can be as simple as a teacher reading or writing out questions for students to answer. There are a variety of online platforms that allow teachers to use and create fun and engaging quizzes such as Carousel, Quizziz, Kahoot, Google Forms, Eedi and Plickers. Multiple choice questions can be a useful way to quiz because it is easy to mark and can be set up as diagnostic questions. This is where each incorrect answer gives the teacher information on any misconceptions that students may have. Using the online platforms also allows you to tap into quizzes that other teachers have created. As Mary Myatt calls it, we need to create a “low threat, high challenge” learning environment.
BTN actually makes use of the “testing effect” and uses interleaving (blending in questions or activities on separate topics) by including low stakes quizzes on topics that require viewers to retrieve information from both their long-term and short-term memory.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- Roediger III, Henry L.,Agarwal, Pooja K.,McDaniel, Mark A.,McDermott, Kathleen B. Test-enhanced learning in the classroom: Long-term improvements from quizzing. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Applied, Vol 17(4), Dec 2011, 382-395
- Richland LE, Kornell N, Kao LS. The pretesting effect: do unsuccessful retrieval attempts enhance learning? J Exp Psychol Appl. 2009 Sep;15(3):243-57. doi: 10.1037/a0016496. PMID: 19751074.
- The best online quizzing tool for retrieval practice … by Kate Jones
- Corbett Maths 5 a day
- Low stakes Quizzing and Retrieval Practice 4 by Tom Needham
- Two Easy Strategies to Improve Multiple Choice Questions by Blake Harvard
- Jones, K. 2019, “Retrieval Practice: Research and resources for every Classroom.” John Catt Educational Ltd.
RETRIEVAL PRACTICE PLACEMAT
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
Quick to put together, easy to follow and reusable across different days and subjects. Can be a useful tool for promoting class discussions and collaboration amongst peers. It can also help students develop successful study habits by building their metacognitive skills in understanding what sorts of questions can be asked that will aid learning.
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
Could start off as a silent “Do now” activity and followed up with a “Turn and talk”. Think about including questions that are transferable across different topics (or use the one for FREE here). Laminating the placemat will make them more durable or simply project the slide onto your IWB. Important to set-up the expectations around “Turn and Talk” type activities and creating an environment where students feel safe to share information even if it may be wrong.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- Retrieval Practice Placemat by Kate Jones
- Retrieval practice in geography by Mr P Hunt.
- Jones, K. 2019, “Retrieval Practice: Research and resources for every Classroom.” John Catt Educational Ltd.
BUILD FLUENCY
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
“It is virtually impossible to become proficient at a mental task without extended practice,” (Willingham, 2021). Whether following Doug Lemov’s – At Bats principle or Ericsson’s – Deliberate Practice principle, practice makes memory long lasting and develops fluency and automaticity. Barak Rosenshine in his Principles of Instruction paper referred to the term of overlearning (to learn or practise beyond the point of ‘initial mastery’). This then allows the student to apply and transfer their knowledge to problem-solving activities and higher order thinking.
“Deliberate practice (DP) occurs when an individual intentionally repeats an activity in order to improve performance. The claim of the DP framework is that such behavior is necessary to achieve high levels of expert performance.” (Campitelli & Gobet, 2011, p. 280).
Cognitive gains from practice often bring about motivation for more learning (Kalchman, Moss, & Case, 2001).
“Contenders practice until they get it right, champions practice until they can never get it wrong.”
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
It’s all about getting the reps in. We can’t automatise everything, so focus on the building blocks – things that come up again and again. e.g. decoding fluently, knowing times tables. Can be combined with spacing and interleaving to force students to think about their learning. It can be “skill and drill” type of activities, but it doesn’t have to be. The learner still need to understand the connections and relevance to what they are doing. Using variety and changing the constraints will ensure that the student still has to think.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- The 5 Stages Of Deliberate Practice In Education: How I Wish I’d Taught Maths (4) by Clare Sealy
- Willingham, D.T. 2021. “Why Don’t Students Like School? A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom. Second Edition.” John Wiley & Sons Inc
- How to Teach Times Tables So Pupils Learn Instant Recall From KS1 To KS2 by Pete Richardson
- Fluency with Maths Facts research compiled by Craig Barton
- The Ultimate Deliberate Practice Guide: How to Be the Best by Shane Parrish from Farnham Street
- Mental mathematics fluency and the importance of perspective by Christopher Such
- Moors, Agnes & De Houwer, Jan. (2006). Automaticity: A Theoretical and Conceptual Analysis. Psychological bulletin. 132. 297-326. 10.1037/0033-2909.132.2.297.
- Practice for Knowledge Acquisition (Not Drill and Kill) from the American Psychological Association
- What People Get Wrong About Memorizing Math Facts by Michael Pershan
FLASH CARDS
WHY SHOULD WE USE IT?
Anyone can use and create flash cards, but they are only effective when the learner is forced to retrieve the information. This means that they need to write out the answer or say it out loud. This prevents cheating and the illusion of thinking that they know the answer.
Flash cards are also a great example of something that students can do to practice retrieving information on their own.
HOW CAN WE USE IT?
When creating flash cards, the question should be on one side and the answer on the other. This ensures that the learner is able to receive immediate feedback.
The Leitner system shown in the infographic and video is a method that students can follow that forces students to work on their weaknesses more often.
RESEARCH, EXAMPLES AND MORE INFORMATION
- Make flashcards more powerful with these 3 tips by Pooja K. Agarwal
- Flash cards as an effective study strategy … by Kate Jones
- Senzaki S, Hackathorn J, Appleby DC, Gurung RAR. Reinventing Flashcards to Increase Student Learning. Psychology Learning & Teaching. 2017;16(3):353-368. doi:10.1177/1475725717719771