Tips for teachers: Reducing extraneous cognitive load

May 11, 2026 | Blogs

Tips for teachers: Reducing extraneous cognitive load

May 11, 2026 | Blogs

‘Cognitive overload is a key concern for all teachers and students. In classrooms and educational settings, experiencing an overwhelming amount of information can impair our understanding, memory retention and ultimately learning.

Cognitive overload is a state of mental exhaustion that occurs when learners are faced with an excessive amount of information or demands that exceed the capacity of their working memory.

This overload can hinder their ability to understand and retain information effectively, making it difficult to transfer knowledge to their long-term memory. When the demands placed on learners’ thinking exceed the limitations of their working memory, it can lead to challenges in learning and reduced performance.’

(https://thirdspacelearning.com/blog/cognitive-overload/)

Think of your students’ brains like a browser with too many tabs open. When there’s too much “noise,” the system slows down, and nothing actually gets saved. Reducing cognitive load is basically just closing those extra tabs so they can focus on the one thing that matters.

Practical ways to reduce cognitive load include:

• Chunk Information: Break complex topics into small, manageable segments.

• Use Worked Examples: Provide step-by-step models of completed tasks. This allows novice learners to study the process before attempting it themselves.

• Scaffold Learning: Use visual aids, checklists, and prompts initially, then “fade” or remove them as students gain proficiency.

• Avoid Redundancy: Do not read aloud exactly what is written on a slide or handout. This “redundancy effect” forces the brain to process identical information twice, causing overload.

• Dual Coding: Combine simple visuals (diagrams, icons) with verbal explanations to use both the pictorial and verbal processing systems of the brain simultaneously.

• Establish Routines: Use predictable protocols for daily activities (e.g., how to hand in work) so students don’t have to use mental energy on logistics.

• Declutter Visuals: Minimise excessive wall displays, especially at the front of the room, to reduce distractions.

• Simplify Materials: Keep PowerPoint slides clear, use fewer words, and avoid unnecessary animations that don’t serve a direct learning purpose.

• Clear Instruction Design: Ensure instructions are concise, numbered, and direct to reduce the effort needed to understand the task itself.

• Leverage Prior Knowledge: Connect new learning to existing mental models (schemas) to make it easier for students to process information.

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

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