Spaced Learning…

New research shows that a 12-minute lesson repeated up to a day later is the best way for pupils to retain material.

The study showed that “spaced learning”, where three different 10 minute lessons are delivered, interspersed with a 10-minute break of another activity, were more effective in helping students retain material, even with lower ability pupils.

The trial involved three types of “spaced learning”.

In the first, pupils had the same lesson given to them three times, with a 10-minute break between each, doing an activity such juggling or drawing.

In the second, pupils had three 12-minute lessons on different subjects back to back. They then had a 20-minute break, and the whole lesson was repeated the next day.

In the third, appeared the most impressive results. Pupils had 12 minutes of one lesson, then a 10-minute break, 12 minutes of a different subject, followed by a break, and then a final 12-minute lesson on another subject. This was repeated 24 later. This was the most successful, as it identified the kind of lesson layout that might benefit pupils best.