Summer Reading Book Review: “Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources for Every Classroom” by Kate Jones
It’s almost summer, which means it’s time for summer reading. Over the next few months, Tech-Based Teaching will feature a review of an educational book that focuses on either teaching skills, cognitive science or both.
This month, we’re looking at Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources for Every Classroom, an exploration of retrieval practice and how it improves learning for all students.
Overview
Retrieval Practice: Research & Resources was written by Kate Jones in response to her own interest in retrieval practice. A history teacher, Jones uses retrieval practice to teach her students in a more engaging, evidence-based way. Many of the examples she provides in the book are taken from her own classroom experiences.
What is retrieval practice? After reading the book, it’s obvious the answer is more complex than it first appears. Nonetheless, as a simplification, it’s trying to recall facts and ideas, moving knowledge from short-term to long-term memory.
Rather than using cues or trying to memorize facts by reading them over and over, as with cramming, retrieval practice forces students to recall concepts on their own. For example, flashcards can be a kind of retrieval practice. Combined with specific timing, they take advantage of the brain’s tendency to forget then relearn, strengthening memories and increasing comprehension.
The book starts out by giving a general overview of retrieval practice, then dives into the research surrounding its uses and efficacy. The research chapter, chapter 1, arranges its content into a series of frequently asked questions, with each question acting as a heading. For example, one section discusses key benefits of retrieval practice, such as helping students form a foundation of good study habits and allowing students to engage in metacognitive assessment over gaps in their knowledge. Research is clearly attributed, and the chapter is peppered with footnotes throughout.
The rest of the book, particularly the second and fourth chapters, gives specific ideas on how to use retrieval practice in the classroom. In the introduction, Jones expresses a desire to share “low effort, high impact” ideas. There’s certainly a lot to consider! Many of the ideas rely on minimal technology, and there’s a mix of solo and group work. Drawing upon the experiences of other teachers, Jones also shares what’s worked in classrooms around the world, sharing some ideas via case studies.
In the third chapter, Jones offers a closer look at the ways that retrieval practice fits into evidence-based teaching as a cognitively sound practice. This chapter, while featuring specific ideas as with chapters 2 and 4, also connects to principles such as dual coding and interleaving. Not just buzzwords, these evidence-based practices enhance learning, and given Jones’s desire for “low effort, high impact” suggestions, many are simple to implement.
A Closer Look
This book is slim, but given the narrow focus, a higher page count could make it feel bloated. As is, it offers good advice on ways to both understand and use retrieval practice. By sharing different teachers’ experiences, it provides a means of using retrieval practice no matter what subject or school. The principles themselves are sound and explained enough even for use in nontraditional settings, such as with homeschooling or self-study.
The writing is also less academic than you might expect, given the number of citations and reliance on research. Jones even mentions that the book was written “for other teachers who, like myself, simply want to learn more.” This approachable style is nice for teachers working in less jargon-y fields, or those who might be coming into teaching as an alternate career and are looking for ways to improve their teaching. The second group in particular might be scared away by more citation-heavy writing.
While Jones also has a blog that features explorations of learning theory and other means of evidence-based teaching, this book is a deep dive into retrieval practice specifically, using it as a touchstone for discussing other practices such as interleaving, spaced practice and more. It’s a good introduction to the field, but it’s also practical in a way that more theoretical books are not.
Takeaways
Retrieval practice is nice in its flexibility. It doesn’t require specific tools or programs, although it can be incorporated into set workflows. For example, students could use retrieval practice through coding notebooks, using some of the recall questions listed in the book. Likewise, they could use diagramming tools to build timelines, concept maps or flowcharts, connecting retrieval practice to dual coding principles. Given how specific subjects often have favored tools, retrieval practice is easy to add to established curricula.
Retrieval practice also doesn’t require a specific setting. As of right now, there’s still uncertainty as to classroom setups for the next academic year. Will lessons be taught in person? Remotely? Either way, retrieval practice can be done with or without a teacher present. It can even be a way to offer evidence-based learning asynchronously, and at a low-bandwidth cost.
Have you read this book? What did you think, and what were your takeaways? Comment below! If you’d like further suggestions of books on teaching and learning, check out this guide.
About the blogger:
Jesika Brooks
Jesika Brooks is an editor and bookworm with a Master of Library and Information Science degree. She works in the field of higher education as an educational technology librarian, assisting with everything from setting up Learning Management Systems to teaching students how to use edtech tools. A lifelong learner herself, she has always been fascinated by the intersection of education and technology. She edits the Tech-Based Teaching blog (and always wants to hear from new voices!)
