Ask Sandra: Do top-scoring PSLE pupils have a different way of studying that gives them an edge?

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Q: Do some students have a different way of studying that gives them an edge? A boy at my son’s tuition centre studies for 20 to 30 minutes each time and takes breaks in between. According to my son, he scores top marks in the spot tests they are given.

A: That boy is likely using a science-backed learning method called spaced repetition, coupled with active recall. Research has shown that these methods help students with memory and recall.

Using the right learning methods can make a difference in how students perform in examinations, say Dr Kevin Mattingly, an adjunct professor who teaches the science of learning at the Teachers College in Columbia University, and Mr Mark Png, founder of the online revision tool PSLE Ninja. Both experts cite spaced repetition and active recall as two of the proven learning strategies.

Spaced repetition and active recall

Spaced repetition involves reviewing what a child has studied at intervals, to boost his memory, making it less likely that he will forget everything. Studies show it can significantly improve learning and reduce the time spent studying.

The method is based on the forgetting curve, discovered by the German scientist Hermann Ebbinghaus, which shows how people lose the ability to access information in their memory over time. By studying a topic at strategic intervals, students will end up remembering more.

Active recall goes hand in hand with spaced repetition. It is a learning method where you continuously test yourself by pulling information out of your memory, instead of just passively reading notes.

Mr Png explains that active recall, or immediately trying to recall the facts after a study session, is much more effective than assuming that the notes you have read through over and over again will eventually stick.

Quizzes and flashcards are great ways to do active recall. Testing oneself with a prompt or question helps to strengthen the connections in the brain.

Mr Png suggests that after revising a topic, children should put away their notes and try recalling what they have just studied. They can do this by summarising the key points in their own words, or by making flashcards.

If their recall of the topic is poor, schedule another session the next day and try to recall the main points again. If the recall is good, schedule the next study session on the topic three days later, then test themselves again. If the recall is even better this time around, the next study session can be done five days later.

Mr Png and Dr Mattingly explain that active recall works by making one’s brain search for information. Doing this strengthens the neural connections to memories, making it easier to find the information again later.

Pomodoro technique

There is also the Pomodoro technique to get children to sit down to study.

This time management method helps them to improve their focus and productivity by breaking study sessions into 25-minute intervals, followed by short breaks.

Dr Mattingly says this structured approach is great for young children who struggle to focus for long periods of time and who may feel overwhelmed when asked to revise for long periods of time.

Get your child started on the Pomodoro method by setting a timer on your phone or by using an alarm clock or an online timer. Decide how long each revision session should be, what your child wants to revise, and then he can start the timer.

If he wants to do two hours of revision, he should:

According to Dr Mattingly, who also serves as senior academic adviser to RD American School, the Pomodoro method is “useful especially for young children, as it provides short, structured study sessions so they don’t have to focus on a topic for too long”.

There are several Pomodoro timer apps, including Flow and the popular Forest, which allows students to set their own 25-minute timers and grow a virtual tree while they study.

The technique is called Pomodoro, after the Italian word for tomato, because its creator Francesco Cirillo used a tomato-shaped kitchen timer to track his work intervals. In the late 1980s, as a university student, he used this timer to commit to 25-minute, distraction-free, focused study sessions. He found that time period optimal for maintaining focus and concentration.

Interleaving

Both Dr Mattingly and Mr Png also highly recommend that students mix different topics and problem types during their revision – this is called interleaving.

Students revising maths can switch between fractions and percentages. For languages, they should mix vocabulary, grammar and listening exercises.

Interleaving forces one’s brain to constantly adapt, which improves problem-solving skills, Mr Png says.

The Feynman technique

Award-winning physicist Richard Feynman said the secret to his success was using his own study method.

There are four simple steps to the Feynman technique:

Dr Mattingly says that by focusing on clarity and simplicity, the Feynman technique ensures a person genuinely understands the topic instead of having memorised it.

Metacognition

Building metacognition skills – or learning how to learn – over the long term is important in nurturing children to be effective learners, say Dr Mattingly and Mr Png.

Dr Mattingly says all teachers at RD American School are trained in the science of learning and the students, too, are made aware of how they can learn more efficiently.

He stresses that children can be made aware of the learning process from a young age.

“Even in an elementary school, before a learning activity, a teacher can ask the kids what and why the class is taking on a particular activity for the day. At the end of the day, the teacher can ask the kids what they have learnt for the day, and was it fun, was it easy or difficult,” he says.

Mr Png says a child with strong metacognition can answer questions such as, “Do I really understand this?”, “Which part is confusing me?”, “What mistake do I keep making?”, “What should I practise next?”, and “What system can I employ to ensure I never fail this way again?”

Mr Png adds: “Studying isn’t about how long your child spends with his books. It’s about what learning strategies he uses that help him learn efficiently. I would advise picking two or three methods that work for them and use them consistently. Over time, they will notice that they can learn faster, remember more and, as a result, feel less stressed and perform better in the exams.”

Dr Mattingly says: “No study technique works if your brain isn’t functioning at its best. Make sure that your child gets seven to nine hours of sleep each night. Sleep plays a crucial role in brain function. Children who get enough rest are more alert, focused and perform better in tests.”