Long term memoryYear 11 Exam preparation evening

Retrieval practice ● Retrieval practice moves memories from your long term memory into your working memory

● Retrieval practice lays down “memory traces”

● Every time you retrieve a memory the pathway becomes more established

● Eventually there is no struggle - the memory is just there!

Retrieval practice v Re-reading

Dual coding

Cognitive load

Cognitive load

Putting this into practice

1. Write questions - answer them - check your answers

2. Do past papers - get them marked or use the mark scheme

3. Do lots of quizzes - write your own

4. Write lists from memory - check and improve

5. Produce graphic organisers

6. Look → Cover → Write → Check - Over time skip the “Look → Cover” stages

7. Flashcards - Question on 1 side, answer on the other

Graphic organisers

● a single period of study (‘study once’)

● a single retrieval (‘retrieve once’)

● three retrievals in a row (‘massed retrieval’)

● three retrievals spaced over time (‘spaced retrieval’)

Karpicke & Bauernschmidt (2011)

The Leitner System - Spaced retrieval

Spaced retrieval

A few things to avoid● Re-reading your notes / the text book…

● Highlightling (unless it is just to find something again)

● “Study groups” - these are social groups

● Other stimulus / distractions - think about cognitive load