This is a podcast that I made recently, on retrieval practice. This is something that is used in adult learning, and can be used in childcare.
What is retrieval practice? Well, it is another way of saying pulling information out of your memory, instead of continually studying/re-reading the same information. An example of this, would be to read information, the explaining it out loud. Retrieval practice is something we do every day, often without realizing its importance. It plays a key role in learning by reinforcing our memory and understanding of different concepts. Whether it’s recalling information for a test, remembering a conversation, or handling daily tasks, this strategy helps us solidify what we learn. By actively retrieving information, we create stronger connections in our brains, making it easier to recall that information later. This is why adding retrieval practice to our daily routines can greatly improve our cognitive skills and memory retention.
The article that I discussed is based on a comprehensive study about different learning situations, which explored various educational environments and their effectiveness in facilitating knowledge acquisition. It examined how factors such as teaching methods, student engagement, and technological integration can significantly influence learning outcomes. You can view the article here:
https://www.jstor.org/stable/25790300
The study found that the effort used to retrieve information actually strengthened memory pathways, and helped with long term retention, linking to confidence increases. This research challenges something that many of us assume, “more studying automatically means more learning” when actually, how we study matters more.
This is something that can be adapted to any age learner, so as and ECE, we can adapt this practice into our classrooms. We use it on a daily basis as educators. Asking children to tell us what happened in the book, or repeating songs or instructions. Another use that I have used many times, is asking one child to explain to another child the instructions.
Retrieval practice, from a teachers perspective, sometimes the best thing we can do, is not to repeat the information, but ask students to tell us.
Reference:
Karpicke, J. D., & Blunt, J. R. (2011). Retrieval Practice Produces More Learning than Elaborative Studying with Concept Mapping. Science, 331(6018), 772–775. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790300
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