Retrieval practice ENG team

Why is it important to be challenged when it comes to learning?

• The more cognitive effort, the stronger the information is embedded in the memory

• Challenge is necessary to make the content interesting which precipitates learning

• Challenge makes you more focused which therefore makes us learn more

Quizzes and answering quesitons is a form of

Retrieval practice is more effective the more you do it

• True

• False

Answer explanation

Retrieval practice is more effective the more times you do it. Doing it once leads to about a 50% improvement in performance (which is pretty WOW), yet the more times you do it, the better the results become. The first session of retrieval practice should be as soon as possible (we forget quickly), but after that, it is great to space out testing.

Ideally, a little forgetting has occurred, so that the students have to work harder, so spacing out the retrieval practice is a great idea. Important concepts or learning should be revisited throughout the course. If you cover a grammatical rule in September, make sure you have a test about it in December again to strengthen the learning. And why not begin in January by asking them what they recall about all the concepts you covered the previous term?

Is it a good idea to assess student's retrieval practice?

• No. Adding grades will just stress them out

• Yes, adding low-stakes is good

• Yes, it should heavily impact the grade

Answer explanation

Should you assess their hastily answered retrieval practice-efforts? Even though they are done entirely to enhance students’ learning? If students know that their efforts will count towards their grade, they will put in more effort which in turn will lead to better learning. Tell them that you will take their efforts into account when you grade them (maybe 10% of the grade or something).

 

Whether you actually do that or not is entirely up to you. It may seem dishonest, but the purpose is good: they learn more if they take the quizzes more seriously.

How can retrieval practice be applied to your classroom? Give two examples