Does recalling knowledge help it remain accessible later?
Often, yes. A large research base finds that retrieving learned material can strengthen later retention, with benefits also observed in applied classroom studies.[1]
How Toku uses this
A Toku sprint asks your child to produce answers from memory repeatedly instead of only recognising a method on the page.
What research shows
Experimental work has shown better delayed retention after retrieval practice than after additional study in comparable conditions.[1]
Meta-analytic and classroom evidence supports practice testing and retrieval across a wide range of learning settings.[3][4]
Feedback can increase the value of retrieval by giving the learner a route to correct an unsuccessful attempt.[2]
Why this can matter for your child
Successful retrieval, followed by correction when needed, can make practised knowledge easier to access again later.
The score shows how the attempt went, while the learning value comes from your child pulling the mathematics back out of memory again and again.
Questions this helps answer
- what is retrieval practice
- does retrieval practice work for maths
- does testing improve memory
- why active recall helps learning
References
- Henry L. Roediger III & Jeffrey D. Karpicke (2006). Test-enhanced learning: taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science.
- Henry L. Roediger III & Andrew C. Butler (2011). The critical role of retrieval practice in long-term retention. Trends in Cognitive Sciences.
- Olusola O. Adesope, Dominic A. Trevisan & Narayankripa Sundararajan (2017). Rethinking the use of tests: a meta-analysis of practice testing. Review of Educational Research.
- Pooja K. Agarwal, Ludmila D. Nunes & Janell R. Blunt (2021). Retrieval practice consistently benefits student learning: a systematic review of applied research in schools and classrooms. Educational Psychology Review.