5 Effective Study Strategies for Schoolchildren

Learning new material involves a variety of approaches, but their effectiveness varies depending on the subject area. Successfully mastering language skills, such as the correct use of articles in foreign speech, requires the use of specific methods. It is also important to consider that understanding and memorizing key biological concepts requires different strategies. Mastering mathematical concepts, such as solving quadratic equations, requires an even more targeted approach. Thus, effective teaching methods depend on the specifics of the subject being studied.

Researchers at the Open University of the Netherlands have attempted to systematize various teaching methods, presenting a framework that allows us to understand which approach is most effective for specific tasks. In their article, "Improving Teacher Recommendations for How to Learn: A Subject-Based Study of Instructional Strategies in the Middle School Curriculum," published in February of this year in the journal Frontiers in Education, they analyze which strategies are best for memorizing facts, understanding concepts, and mastering the algorithmic actions needed to solve problems. In this article, we will discuss their main ideas and conclusions, which can help optimize the educational process.

How the Effectiveness of Instructional Strategies Was Assessed

This study selected instructional strategies whose effectiveness has been confirmed by numerous previous studies. The authors relied on an extensive literature review conducted by American psychologist John Dulonsky and his colleagues in 2013. According to this review, of the ten most popular methods for memorizing new information, the following strategies were found to be the most effective in experiments: retrieval practice, distribution practice, interleaving, self-explanation, and question-based learning. The authors of the new study decided to delve deeper into the issue and determine which tasks each strategy is appropriate for, according to scientific evidence. The researchers based their analysis on the types of tasks, namely, the types of knowledge that students encounter in the educational process. These types of knowledge were identified in the revised version of Bloom's Taxonomy, updated in 2001.

Factual knowledge - knowledge of terms and their definitions, rules and symbols, vocabulary, formulas.
Procedural knowledge - knowledge of algorithms of actions and an understanding of how to choose an algorithm for a particular case.
Conceptual knowledge - an understanding of the relationships between different studied elements. This can include the ability to classify and distinguish objects from different categories, an understanding of complex topics that require combining factual knowledge from different previously studied areas, as well as an understanding of theoretical models and scientific laws - and the ability to apply them to new objects and situations.

The researchers analyzed 22 published scientific articles that summarized the results of numerous experiments on the effectiveness of various instructional strategies. In their work, they focused on experiments involving schoolchildren and examined what specific knowledge these students mastered. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of which teaching methods are most effective in developing students' knowledge, which can contribute to improving educational practices and enhancing the quality of education.

The second part of the study was practical in nature. The authors conducted three focus groups with teachers from three different schools in the Netherlands. This allowed us to better understand the opinions and approaches of teachers to educational methods and tools.

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Teachers of mathematics, native language (Dutch) and geography were invited to the meeting. During the discussions, teachers were asked in detail about the knowledge most important for successful mastery of their subjects. The following conclusions, based on teachers' opinions, were obtained.

In mathematics, a foundation of factual knowledge is very important—for example, the order of arithmetic operations, the names and properties of geometric figures and different angles, and formulas. However, teachers said that for students with excellent, above-average knowledge of mathematics, this foundation is less important (perhaps because they may no longer recall certain rules, but rather use logical derivations). For students with a weak understanding of the subject, it is important to rely on rules and follow step-by-step algorithms. From the teachers' perspective, conceptual knowledge in school mathematics, on the other hand, turned out to be less important—they assume that only the most gifted students can master it, and that this is generally a task for the next level of education, such as university. Most of the educational outcomes that mathematics teachers would like to see are related to procedural knowledge. Mathematics instruction in school is aimed at ensuring that students master a set of tools for solving various mathematical problems and learn to apply them.
For learning one's native language, knowledge of facts is an important foundation, but not an end in itself. That is, it is not the educational outcome that teachers truly strive to achieve with their students. It is more important to develop procedural and conceptual knowledge: the ability to use language and understand the relationships between objects within it. However, for speaking and writing correctly, it is important to know grammar and spelling rules, have a sufficient vocabulary, and so on. Procedural knowledge is somewhat more often the goal of learning—this includes simple algorithms, such as parsing a word or sentence, and the ability, for example, to write a text of the desired genre. As for conceptual knowledge, understanding classifications and categories—parts of speech, declensions and conjugations, and so on—has proven to be the most significant in learning one's native language.
In geography, both factual and procedural knowledge are of secondary importance. Knowledge of demographic terms, country and city names, and the locations of natural and other features on a map are important, but they don't exhaust the subject's learning. Conceptual knowledge, however, is the dominant type and is associated with the most important educational outcomes. A comprehensive understanding of a subject requires transferring knowledge from theoretical models and their integration, as well as understanding their connections. That is, each region under study must be placed in the context of knowledge about the climate, landscape, demography, and natural zones.

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Research, Conducted using focus groups, we were able to pool data on the types of knowledge best learned through five learning strategies. This resulted in conclusions about how these five teaching methods can be effectively applied across different school subjects. These findings highlight the importance of tailoring learning strategies to the specific content to promote deeper and more productive student learning.

Retrieval Practice

Also called self-testing, retrieval practice is a more common term. This method is based on the idea that when reviewing material, you should not simply reread it or refer to a textbook. Instead, it is important to try to recall the necessary information on your own. Students can use tests for this purpose, but simply making an attempt to recall is sufficient. Retrieval practice promotes deeper learning and improves long-term memory, making it an effective tool for students and anyone striving for successful learning.

According to research, retrieval practice has demonstrated its effectiveness more often than other learning methods. However, the only type of knowledge for which the reviews did not find examples of this practice was procedural knowledge. Nevertheless, retrieval practice demonstrates high effectiveness in learning and information acquisition. Research confirms that active knowledge retrieval promotes better memorization and comprehension of material.

For the acquisition of facts—memorizing new foreign language words and terms, mathematical formulas, and grammar rules. Moreover, retrieval not only helps retain the material studied but also facilitates the acquisition of new information. This is logical, as the facts that have been recalled can be useful for understanding a new topic. In general, teachers should encourage students to practice retrieval and conduct mini-quizzes on topics covered whenever factual knowledge is required.
For conceptual understanding. There's a caveat: this requires retrieval practice specifically with questions that test comprehension and build connections between familiar and new information. Topics related to the study of natural laws or classifications may have many individual facts that are useful to remember. However, tests aimed at retrieving them from memory do not contribute to conceptual understanding of the phenomenon.

For subjects such as geography and languages, practical retrieval of information can be useful for understanding fundamentals and the factual basis. However, this approach does not always contribute to the achievement of key learning outcomes. Effective learning requires not only the memorization of facts but also the development of critical thinking, analytical skills, and the application of knowledge in practice.

Distribution Practice

This teaching strategy can be used by students independently, but in middle school, its implementation is most often the responsibility of the teacher. The idea is to replace long study sessions, including initial familiarization with and review of the topic, with several short lessons. Collectively, they can take as much time as one long lesson, but it is preferable to conduct them on different days. When applied to students' independent work, it becomes clear that it is not necessary to complete all homework the day before class. It is much more effective to distribute assignments over several days, working on them gradually. This approach promotes better assimilation of the material and improves the quality of learning.

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Knowledge learned at the last minute before an exam is often quickly forgotten due to a lack of deep understanding of the material. When information is studied hastily, it is not consolidated in long-term memory, making it difficult to recall. Effective learning requires time and a deliberate approach, which allows you to form connections between new and existing concepts. Therefore, to successfully prepare for exams, it is important to focus on systematic study of the material and regular review, which promotes better memorization and comprehension.

Research shows that distribution practice significantly improves the effectiveness of knowledge acquisition. This method is especially useful for schoolchildren, as it helps them better remember foreign words, lists of terms, rules for solving equations, and scientific concepts. Spacing practice is effective for most school subjects, as returning to a topic on different days promotes deeper understanding and long-term retention. Unlike intensive but short-term study, regular repetition helps prevent quick forgetting and strengthens knowledge.

Interleaving (Alternating Topics)

Interleaving practice, or interleaving, is a teaching method in which several topics are studied one after the other, rather than sequentially. Although research shows that many students would prefer to study one topic from beginning to end, experiments repeatedly confirm that students who use interleaving remember information more effectively. This is explained by the fact that frequently switching between topics helps maintain a high level of attention and interest in the learning process. This approach not only improves the quality of material assimilation, but also helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Explaining to Yourself

Research shows that explaining a topic to another person can be more effective than self-testing. An important aspect of this practice is that the learner articulates and verbalizes new knowledge. Whether the listener is a real person or an imaginary one, the process remains beneficial. However, having a real listener can increase motivation and diligence, since the desire not to let the interlocutor down often stimulates a deeper understanding of the material.