"Sticky Learning"

Retrieval practice is a strategy in which bringing information to mind enhances and boosts learning. Deliberately recalling information forces us to pull our knowledge “out” and examine what we know.

(retrievalpractice.org - Image courtesy of @retrievelearn)

• Can be done in little class time
• Can be done with little to no prep
  
• Can be done with or without technology
• Can be woven into your current practices seamlessly
• Effective despite grade level or subject
• Has shown to increase recall performance by 10-20% [Research]
• Has shown to help students 50% more than concept mapping [Research]

In a study involving 1,400 middle school students, it was shown that giving students frequent, ungraded quizzes significantly increased their retention of learning.

For the study, the students were divided into 3 groups. All 3 groups read the same text and engaged in the same teacher-led lesson....

• One group read the material once, engaged in the teacher-led lesson, and took an exam
• A second group re-read the text 3 times prior to the exam.
• A third group took 3 short, low-stakes quizzes prior to the exam

Group one scored an 81% retention rate; Group two scored an 83%; Group three = 91%

One to two months later.....group three still retained an average of 79% as opposed to 67% among the other two groups.

Prompting students to search their memories to retrieve information clearly leads to better, longer learning.

Stop reading/listening/watching & try:

• "Brain Dump" or "Two Things" (see below)
• Summarize in writing, illustrations, video, etc.
• Quiz yourself - Paper, Plickers, Quizizz/Kahoot/GimKit, etc.

1) At the beginning, middle, or end of class, ask students to write down two things from:

• today's lesson?
• yesterday's lesson?
• the current unit?
• things you want to learn more about?
• connections to your life/real life?

2) Conduct feedback as a whole group, partner, or 1on1

From "Powerful Teaching" by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain

Snag a digital template here

• Feedback must be made to correct mistakes before they become long-term
• Extend learning with Think-Pair-Share to provide feedback
  
• REMINDER: struggle = long-term learning
• Don't Grade It!! -- Assessments must not be the only place for retrieval practice.

• Summarize your learning --Try Padlet or Flipgrid
• Self-assess with questions --Try Quizizz, Kahoot, or Plickers
  
• Create a mind map -- Try Google Drawings
• Develop new ideas -- Try Dotstorming or shared Google Doc
• REMINDER: Practice without open notes, textbooks etc. [Courtesy of Ditch That Homework]

• Normalize forgetting & desirable difficulty by spacing content over a longer period of time
• Example: Question students before lesson, after lesson, and 2 days after the lesson [Courtesy of "Make It Stick"]
• Blocked/mass practice can create false confidence
• Build a culture around spacing (Ex: Throwback Thursdays)
• When combined with retrieval, it's shown to increase results by 35-60% [Research]

• Interleaving is mixing up closely related topics, which encourages students to develop the ability to distinguish between multiple concepts [retrievalpractice.org].
  
• Instead of quizzing students in blocks of the same topics: AAA BBB CCC - Interleave your questions: ABC ABC ABC
• Ideal For Mathematics!!

1. Give students a sheet with "cards" of terms
2. Students put stars on the cards they know; Question marks on cards they don't
3. Students answer star cards without help; Answer question marks with resources
4. Confirm star cards in resources

Snag a digital template here

From "Powerful Teaching" by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain

1. Write past and current questions/topics on small strips of paper.
2. Place small strips in a fishbowl or container.
3. Every Friday pull strips from the bowl.
4. Conduct small quiz, Think-Pair-Share, or other strategies with questions
5. Replace strips as necessary.

Try it with Jenga or Dice too!

From "Powerful Teaching" by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain

• Digital Fishbowl - WheelOfNames - Flippity
• Modify Flashcards with Quizlet
• Digital Dice - Google

• Without feedback, students can develop false confidence or errors
• Make feedback the magic wand.....Withhold the grade!!
• Encourage mistakes & remind kids it is ok. It's how we learn!!
• Combine these strategies together to maximize effects. Check out a Power Ticket below.

1. Perform "Two Things" strategy
2. Pair up & each person adds a 3rd thing to their partner's paper
3. Share in a group of four
4. Independently have students respond to feedback questions:

• What surprised you?
• Why were you right/wrong?
• What is your next step?

From "Powerful Teaching" by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain

• Use a quiz platform like Kahoot to introduce and teach a lesson, as opposed to a traditional method for review

• Results of each question determine the next step: High number of errors? Stop & conduct mini-lessons or discussion Low number of errors? Move on! You have more time to focus on deficiencies.

• Students can use their own results as metacognitive feedback on their own strengths/weaknesses with data being produced for the teacher to review later.

• Read more on Blind Kahoots

• A "One-Pager" is a single-page response that shows your understanding of a piece of text using graphics, quotes, phrases, etc. Official AVID One-Pagers should include:

• Include the title of the reading/lesson in the graphic.
• Pull out one or more “notable quotes” or phrase that jumps out at you
• Use different colors and/or writing styles to individualize each “quote” or phrase
• Use a visual image, either drawn or cut out from a magazine, which creates a visual focus- these pictures need to illustrate what pictures you have in your mind from reading
• Make a personal statement about what you have read
• Ask a question or two and answer it

• Make adaptations for lectures, discussions, videos - Use digital tools like Drawings
• Read more about One Pagers & tips for success

1. Students receive a "Power Ticket" grid with topics announced or pre-filled by the teacher
2. Each column contains a different topic/term
3. Each term is spaced out lessons from today, yesterday, last week, last month, etc.
4. Students must write 3 facts for each term in any order they choose
5. After working independently (5 mins), they should work with up to two more students (1-2 mins) to compare tickets and add to their own tickets
6. Teacher finalizes activity with a whole group instruction and students complete their tickets

Snag a digital template here

From "Powerful Teaching" by Pooja Agarwal & Patrice Bain

• Similar to Power Tickets with small changes:

1. Each box has more specific, focused questions
2. Boxes are color-coded to determine how far back
3. Colors are mix-matched around the grid

Snag a digital template here

From "Love To Teach: Research & Resources for Every Classroom" by Kate Jones

Email: jon.craig@bristoltwpsd.org
Twitter: @coachjoncraig