Retrieval Practice Primary: A guide for primary teachers and leaders

by Kate Jones

In recent years retrieval practice has continued to grow in prominence and interest, as it is an evidence informed effective teaching and learning strategy that supports all learners. After extensive reading, engaging with research and working with schools Kate Jones has written a book that explores how retrieval practice can work in a primary school context. The book begins with research then focuses on classroom application covering curriculum design, task and question design with retrieval practice and how to embed retrieval practice as part of the language of learning across the wider school community. This is an essential read for teachers and leaders at all levels looking to effectively embed retrieval practice in their primary classroom. Retrieval Primary is the latest in the Retrieval Practice series by Kate Jones.

220 pages, Paperback

Published October 4, 2022

Reviews

[Justus · Rating 2 out of 5]

So I think this book is terribly written but give me a second to explain because I really want to throw John Catt's editors under the bus, not the author who is a former classroom teacher passionate about trying to make all this stuff more practical and accessible to time poor teachers. I've read a couple of books from John Catt and they have almost all been very terrible. But they all felt terrible in similar ways, despite being being written by very different authors. John Catt seems to specialise a bit in helping first time authors and...I feel like they do a terrible job of this. Let me give an extended passage from early on that I think encapsulates how the editors are letting their authors down:

A team of well known academics in the field of memory and learning authored a paper in 2016 entitled Retrieval-Based Learning: Positive Effects of Retrieval Practice in Elementary School Children. The authors are Jeffrey D. Karpicke, Janell R. Blunt, Megan A. Sumeracki and Stephanie S. Karpicke. They noted that, ‘A lot of research has demonstrated that practising retrieval is a powerful way to enhance learning. However, nearly all prior research has examined retrieval practice with college students. Little is known about retrieval practice in children, and even less is known about possible individual differences in retrieval practice.’

The researchers conducted a study with three experiments involving elementary school children aged between nine and eleven years. All took place in classroom conditions during lesson sessions and involved educational content and curriculum materials. The authors noted that, ‘Grades 3-5 represent a critical time in children’s educational development, because by these grade levels children have learned to read, and they are now increasingly “reading to learn”. That is, late elementary school children are beginning to read material and implement strategies on their own in order to learn from what they are reading. Thus it is essential to examine retrieval practice in elementary school children.’

Look at that awkward sentence with naming all of the authors. Notice that both quotes are introduced with the same phrase "noted" (which was an authorial tic that gets reused a lot on this book). See how that second quote is a kind of meaningless referral to authority -- do we really need to quote some researchers telling us that late elementary children are beginning to read on their own? Can't the author just...say that?

Nearly every page there are things that an editor really should have helped with. A few pages later we get this passage:

2021 was a slightly controversial year for cognitive science, with some clickbait headlines in educational magazines (that didn’t often reflect the content of the articles let alone the content of the publications) and some educators were questioning the effectiveness of (and the hype around) evidence-informed strategies such as cognitive load theory, dual coding and interleaving.

I have no idea what this is reference to and the book doesn't provide any context for readers. There is an implication about some kind of social media fight? Back in 2021? (That was half a decade ago!) About something? I dunno.

Or in another instance this passage:

Jon Hutchinson is a primary teacher and director of training and development at the Reach Foundation. During the time I have followed his blogs and Twitter account (@jon_hutchinson_) he has taught me a lot about retrieval practice in a primary setting. The main example of this was a video he created and very generously shared freely on YouTube. In this video Jon explained how the Leitner System works. This is a method of promoting spaced retrieval practice using flashcards that Jon used with his Year 4 class.

I was so impressed by his explanation that I shared it with colleagues, students and parents and carers. Jon explains how flashcards can be created based on the contents of the knowledge organiser and then be used for regular retrieval practice. Many aspects of retrieval practice and spaced practice that I previously believed weren’t relevant or possible in a primary context, have been shown by Jon to be extremely useful.

What has he taught her? What is the Leitner System? What is the video about? What are the many aspects that the author didn't believe were relevant or possible but now believes are extremely useful?

It's a shame that the book is hamstrung by these many, many editing failures because I think the content is frequently quite good, especially from Chapter 4 onwards when it gets more practical. How to develop effective multiple choice questions, activities like the Retrieval Practice Pyramid, the thinking and linking grids, the vocabulary chase, and so on.

I'm (apparently in the minority) in thinking that classroom teachers shouldn't need any of those things because that's what a curriculum is supposed to bring to the table and teacher's should need to work a second job as a curriculum designer after work putting together resources like this. But I guess we don't live in that ideal world yet.

[Tonia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bring back the flashcards and the quizzes! The age of the internet saw a shift in focus in education from knowledge (remembering and understanding facts) to skills (researching, thinking, creating, communicating etc.). Repeated practice and any kind of rote learning was labelled 'drill and kill'. The pendulum is now swinging back the other way, with many experts advocating for a knowledge rich curriculum. Teachers are encouraged to identify the key information students need to learn and give them many opportunities to learn it (retrieval practice), so the knowledge is transferred to students' long term memories and builds a solid foundation for new knowledge and applying knowledge.

The book provides useful ideas for implementing retrieval practice in primary schools.

I borrowed this copy from the NSWTF library.

[Noor ul Ain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Very repetitive

[Chrissi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent, informative book. I’ve got some great ideas for September!

[Liz Longworth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting with some practical ideas. Ideal for whole school training in this climate of 'knowing more, remembering more.'