Daily Review
Reviews are a necessary part of education. All people, not just students, need repetition and review to truly learn something new. Students only retain a small portion of what they learn in a classroom each day, so frequent reviews of material are necessary.
At the Beginning of the ClassMost teachers spend a few moments reviewing the previous day's lessons before heading off into new territory. This helps students make connections from day to day and shows them the framework for learning and building on previous knowledge. Warm-ups can help begin this review. After students complete their warm-up, and you have completed your necessary housekeeping tasks, you can move right into review.
You only need to spend a few minutes going over the key points in review. At this time, it is best if you question your students and allow them to show you their knowledge. That can help you clear up any errors they might have in their thinking and allow you to judge the effectiveness of the previous day's lesson. This review should easily transition into the day's lessons.
At the End of the ClassFewer teachers use an end-of-the-class review. However, this is a very effective tool that teachers should employ more often. Basically, before the students leave for the day, spend a few minutes with your students going over the key points they should take away from what they have learned. This can help you catch errors early before they go home and complete the assigned readings or homework on the same topic.
End-of-the-class review also helps students leave understanding exactly what you wanted them to learn from a lesson. It is most effective when you have completed an alternative learning activity, like a role-play or simulation. Often the educational purpose of these types of lessons can be lost in the fun of the experience. By bringing students back to the reality of the classroom through review, you can reinforce key points. End-of-the-class review is an effective way to emphasize important topics and provide students with a focus for any homework assignments.
How long does short-term memory last without repetition?
According to human-memory research, memories only last about twenty to thirty seconds, unless they are repeated and rehearsed. The more time you can spend on reviewing a subject, the more likely students are to retain and move the information into long-term memory.
