Wednesday 26 March 2014

Spaced Learning

With year 10 and 11 mocks taking place and KS3 end of year exams looming how can we make revision effective and interesting? How can we plan a revision lesson that will be fun and help our students to prepare.

Spaced learning is a method of revision. Content is condensed and repeated 3 times with tasks for pupils to complete. The revision lesson has 2 x 5 minute breaks. The breaks are key to spaced learning being a success. During the breaks you ask the students to do something in silence that uses a different set of skills. Scientific evidence proves that when the content is revisited after a break, long term memories are created.

For example you hear a song on the radio and you like it. The next time you hear it, you pick up the chorus, they third time you hear it you can practically sing along!

I have used spaced learning successfully and it has had an impact. A physics exemplar is attached. The rules of the break are crucial - No talking! I usually give the students a block of plasticine and ask them to make me ‘Nemo’ or ‘Buzz Light year’ and provide them their time limit.



From ZAL and was recently published in the T&L bulletin.

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