‘When Retrieval Practice becomes embedded across a curriculum and an established routine in a classroom, it normalises recall for students. Explain clearly to your students that you use retrieval tasks to support their learning, and that it is a low stakes strategy. Students will eventually come to expect to carry out a retrieval task in the lesson, as it becomes the norm. Regular Retrieval Practice removes the element of shock — it is not a pop quiz to be sprung on students. You could even tell your students that next lesson, there will be a retrieval quiz on a specific topic, further reducing the stakes and surprise element, and giving students the opportunity to prepare for the retrieval quiz should they wish to do so.’  (Keeping retrieval low stakes in the classroom) 

Low-stakes recall in education refers to the use of informal, non-graded activities and assessments to encourage students to actively retrieve information from their memory. This approach, also known as retrieval practice, is a powerful learning strategy that helps solidify knowledge and improve long-term retention.  

What it is: 

• Actively retrieving information: Instead of passively rereading or reviewing material, students are actively challenged to recall information from their memory.  

• Non-graded activities: These activities are designed to be low-pressure and focus on learning rather than grades.  

• Common examples: Low-stakes recall activities can include short quizzes, brain dumps, or asking students to recall key concepts from a lesson.  

Why it’s effective: 

• Strengthens memory: The act of retrieving information strengthens the neural pathways associated with that knowledge, making it easier to remember in the future.  

• Improves retention: Research consistently shows that retrieval practice is a highly effective way to improve long-term retention.  

• Identifies knowledge gaps: These activities can help teachers and students identify areas where knowledge is weak or not fully understood.  

• Enhances learning: By actively recalling and applying information, students engage in deeper cognitive processing, leading to more robust learning.  

How to implement it: 

• Low-stakes quizzes: Short quizzes can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a lesson to check for understanding and reinforce key concepts.  

• Brain dumps: Students can write down everything they can remember about a topic in a short amount of time.  

• Quick recall questions: Teachers can ask quick questions to check for understanding and encourage students to recall information.  

• Mini-whiteboards: Students can use mini-whiteboards to quickly answer questions and share their thinking with the class.  

• Homework: Homework can be assigned to reinforce learning by having students recall and apply information from previous lessons.  

Key considerations: 

• Focus on learning: Emphasize that the purpose of these activities is to learn and improve, not to be graded.  

• Provide feedback: Offer constructive feedback to help students learn from their mistakes and improve their recall.  

• Make it fun and engaging: Use a variety of activities and keep the pace fast and engaging.  

• Tailor to the subject: Adapt activities to the specific subject matter and learning objectives.  

This blog was written by Bretta Townend-Jowitt, Education Consultant and Trainer.