CPD 30/1/23 RP

According to the multi store model of memory, where do we process new information and link to existing information that we have recalled?

• Short term memory

• Sensory memory

• Working memory

• Long term memory

Answer explanation

Remember that this bank within the memory model is where information is processed.

Short term memory implies a static nature, where information is just held. Hence, the better description is working memory which is short term in nature.

Which of these is an example of a teacher increasing the intrinsic load of a classroom activity?

• The teacher asks questions of increasing difficulty

• The teacher uses a bingo format to test students' fluency

• The teacher sets up a treasure hunt for students with Qs and As

• The teacher provides students with multiple questions of the same type to develop automaticity

Answer explanation

None of the listed activities are necessarily bad and can indeed be very appropriate at different stages of building fluency.

However, they are all activities which increase the EXTRANEOUS load demand on working memory.

Rosenshine's conclusions were drawn from 3 different sources.

Which of these was not a source of data used?

• Cognitive tools such as mnemonics, sketchnotes etc

• MRI imaging of brains during learning activities

• Cognitive science principles such as CLT and the MSM for memory

• Observations of effective classroom teachers

What is the primary purpose of daily review?

• To give me a breather while I take the register before Simon/Dickie send me an angry email.

• To check if students have understood the work from the previous lesson and to minimise cognitive load during today's lesson.

• To retrieve information from students long term memory which is relevant to the lesson, thereby decreasing the load on working memory when new information is introduced.

• To prevent and disrupt the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve and strengthen the encoding memory trace in long term memory.

Answer explanation

Remember daily review and weekly/monthly review have different cognitive outcomes.

Daily review seeks to decrease demands on working memory as new information is presented.

Weekly/Monthly review seeks to give opportunities to recall information stored in the LTM. That act of recall and re-encoding strengthens the memory trace in LTM, disrupting the forgetting curve.

Which of these is NOT true

"Daily review activities...

• ...are mostly focused on one topic area relevant to the incoming knowledge."

• ...are not meant to generate additional data and workload for teachers."

• ...are most effective when they are done at the start of every lesson consistently."

• ...are most effective when they are low stakes."

Answer explanation

Of course, daily review can take place at the beginning of the lesson and this is often the most sensible place. Rosenshine did not make any recommendations into the frequency or nature of daily review. None of the principles are designed to be reduced to a checklist activity.