Interleaving is a roll of the dice (and that's a good thing!)

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Interleaving is a roll of the dice (and that's a good thing!)

How can we use interleaving without planning? Last week, we wrote about interleaving (and fruit salad). The key to effective interleaving is to mix up similar topics, which encourages students to discriminate between similar ideas, concepts, and problems. This week, learn about quick and fun strategies for interleaving in the classroom that put students in charge – more learning for them, less planning for us.

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What do fruit salad and interleaving have in common?

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What do fruit salad and interleaving have in common?

Interleaving is a powerful strategy that boosts learning by mixing up content students need to learn. Based on a wealth of cognitive science research, the challenge and "desirable difficulty" of interleaving can double exam performance compared to teaching content in "blocks" of the same concepts. But what's the secret to effective and fruitful interleaving? Mix similar topics. Read more about why and stay tuned for next week, when we'll share quick how to's.

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Think-Pair-Share? Think again!

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Think-Pair-Share? Think again!

Whether you teach at an elementary school or a medical school, you've probably heard of the instructional strategy, think-pair-share. Don’t skip the “think” step! Read on for research-based tips on incorporating retrieval, spacing, and interleaving to make think-pair-share an even more powerful strategy in your classroom.

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Celebrate good times, come on! (It's our one year anniversary!)

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Celebrate good times, come on! (It's our one year anniversary!)

It's been a year since we launched RetrievalPractice.org! There's a party going on' right here – and we're celebrating you for transforming learning with cognitive science research, resources, and strategies in your classrooms and schools around the world. Here's a roundup of our biggest hits (and the best is yet to come)!

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Tomayto, tomahto, potayto, retrieval?

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Tomayto, tomahto, potayto, retrieval?

What's in a name? When we talk about retrieval practice, we describe it as "bringing information to mind" or "getting information out." No matter what we call it, learning by any other name would be just as powerful! This week, we present a variety of ways to describe and define "retrieval." Learn more from Doug Lemov, collaborator, expert educator, and author of Teach Like a Champion 2.0. Join hundreds of educators and add your definition, too!

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