Discover research-backed effective teaching strategies to transform student learning. Explore the importance of memory, prior knowledge, cognitive science, and classroom practices.
Introduction:
The craft of teaching is constantly evolving, with research providing deeper insights into how students learn best. This blog post delves into effective teaching strategies, drawing on key principles related to memory, prior knowledge, cognitive science, and classroom practices. By understanding these principles, educators can create powerful learning experiences that lead to a lasting change in students’ capabilities and understanding. Effective teaching can transform pupils’ knowledge, capabilities and beliefs about learning.
Key Principles of Effective Teaching
Research has identified several core principles that underpin effective teaching:
Learning is Lasting Change:
Learning involves a lasting change in pupils’ capabilities or understanding. This means that effective teaching goes beyond simply imparting information; it results in a change in what students know, understand, and can do. Teachers and school leaders are concerned with how new knowledge is introduced, the long-term retention of knowledge and classroom practices that support effective teaching and pupil achievement.
The Significance of Prior Knowledge:
Prior knowledge plays a crucial role in how pupils learn. Students try to make sense of new ideas by relating them to what they already know. The ability to recall previously learned facts assists the acquisition of new knowledge, allowing pupils to connect more complex ideas with their existing understanding. The weaker the prior knowledge, the more likely pupils are to develop misconceptions.
Understanding Memory
Learning involves both working memory and long-term memory. Working memory is where information is actively processed, but it has a limited capacity. Long-term memory is the store of knowledge that changes as pupils learn by integrating new ideas with existing knowledge. Having knowledge stored in the long-term memory helps pupils overcome the limits of their working memory, allowing them to concentrate on the task in hand.
Managing Cognitive Load:
The limited capacity of working memory means teachers must be mindful of cognitive load to avoid overloading students. Understanding new ideas can be impeded if pupils are confronted with too much information at once. Instructional methods should avoid overloading the working memory with additional activities that do not directly contribute to learning (and possibly lead to misconceptions forming).
The Power of Practice:
Regular, purposeful practice is essential for consolidating learning and strengthening recall. This includes retrieval practice (recalling information from memory) and spaced practice (revisiting ideas after a gap). Practice helps to embed knowledge in long-term memory and makes it easier to retrieve.
Actionable Strategies for Effective Teaching
Here are five actionable strategies to implement these principles in the classroom:
Activate and Build on Prior Knowledge:
- Teachers should diagnose prior knowledge and address misconceptions.
- Curriculum should be sequenced to ensure students have the prior knowledge they need to master new ideas.
- New ideas should be introduced in steps, explicitly linking them to what has been previously learned.
Employ Cognitive Science Principles
- Teachers should present material in steps, managing cognitive load by breaking down complex ideas or procedures.
- Use models, representations, analogies, and examples to explain and visualise new concepts.
- Provide scaffolding to support learning, gradually removing it as students gain expertise and independence.
Implement Effective Practice Strategies:
- Incorporate spaced practice to help students retain information over time, revisiting key concepts and ideas.
- Use retrieval practice techniques like low-stakes tests and quizzes to strengthen recall.
- Interleave related content to help students draw comparisons between similar but different material.
Foster High-Quality Classroom Discussion:
- Use questioning as an essential tool to check pupils’ prior knowledge, assess understanding and break down problems.
- Promote classroom discussion to support students in articulating key ideas, consolidate understanding and extend their vocabulary.
Develop Metacognitive Skills
- Explicitly teach metacognitive strategies linked to subject knowledge, including how to plan, monitor and evaluate learning.
- Encourage students to become self-regulated learners who are aware of their strengths and weaknesses and can motivate themselves to improve their learning.
Conclusion:
Effective teaching is a dynamic and research-informed practice. By understanding the principles of how students learn and applying effective strategies, educators can create engaging and impactful learning experiences. This approach fosters a deeper understanding, promotes long-term retention, and empowers students to become successful, independent learners.
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