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Retrieval Practice: The Rule of 3


Reading time: 3
Retrieval Practice Memory

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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007 and is widely recognised as one of the leading influencers in education in the UK and across the world. In 2015, he was named among The Sunday Times/Debrett’s 500 Most Influential People in Britain for his impact on...
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How best can a teacher test what a pupil has learnt?

Research suggests that retrieval is the key process for understanding and for promoting learning. Understanding retrieval for teachers is essential for understanding learning. Retrieval is not just a neutral assessment of a learner’s knowledge, but the act of retrieval itself produces learning.

[Tweet "You're a teacher, but how well do you know about memory and how best to develop its capacity to learn?"]

How do you know if a pupil has learned something?

The authors suggest that "learning represents the ability to use past experiences in

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10 thoughts on “Retrieval Practice: The Rule of 3”

  1. Ian says:
    27th September 2019 at 12:12 am

    This fits exactly with a podcast that I was signposted to recently, “The Learning Scientist”, which talks in depth about ‘retrieval practice’. Great article!

    1. @TeacherToolkit says:
      28th September 2019 at 1:32 pm

      Good podcast here with Dr. Pooja Argawal.

  2. Bon says:
    10th November 2019 at 6:47 pm

    Love this. Thank you

  3. Aishat says:
    10th November 2019 at 7:22 pm

    I think this is a fantastic article!
    I utilise the rule of 3 in the form of a pop quizzes during each lesson, and after the third quiz on the lesson’s content it is clear that the students are far confident not only about the answers required for the questions, but also why said answers are correct.

    1. Jane says:
      16th November 2019 at 5:35 pm

      Exactly! I couldn’t agree more with your comment. It is a really useful technique for the students.

    2. Janette says:
      16th November 2019 at 5:41 pm

      I agree. Great article. @Aishat Do you find that the children become frustrated after 3 quizzes?

      1. Aishat says:
        23rd November 2019 at 6:25 pm

        No far from it @Janette, I incorporate the quizzes in such a way that the students not only learn from them but also have fun whilst completing them.

  4. Amanor Evelyn says:
    4th August 2020 at 8:43 pm

    Good one.Thanks

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