Retrieval practice refers to the process of recalling learned information from long-term memory, with little or no support. Each time a memory is recalled, it is altered and strengthened (Bjork and Bjork, 1992), harnessing the benefits of the ‘testing effect’. This makes the information more accessible and easier to recall in the future.

Understanding Spaced Practice (The Spacing Effect)

Spaced practice, also known as distributed practice or the spacing effect, involves spreading study and recall over time, little and often. For example, instead of spending five hours in one day studying a topic, research suggests a better use of time is to spread those five hours across several days, such as an hour a day over five days or 30 minutes a day over ten days. Agarwal and Carpenter (2020) explain:

“Spaced practice involves taking a given amount of time devoted to learning, and arranging that time into multiple sessions that are spread over time.”

Professors John Hattie and Gregory Donoghue published ‘A Meta-Analysis of Ten Learning Techniques’ (2021), which replicated the findings of Dunlosky et al. (2013). Based on 242 studies, 1,619 effects and 169,179 unique participants, the conclusion was clear:

“The most effective techniques are Distributed Practice and Practice Testing.”

These findings demonstrate the powerful impact of spaced and retrieval practice when used together.

Some critics argue that there is not enough lesson time for retrieval practice or that regular testing will increase stress. However, research by Agarwal et al. (2014) showed the opposite: classroom-based retrieval practice reduced exam anxiety and gave learners a confidence boost. Concerns about time are also addressed by embedding retrieval tasks regularly across the school year, rather than cramming them before assessments. This approach reduces pressure on both teachers and students.

Study strategies such as re-reading, highlighting or underlining may feel easier, but they do not provide the same long-term benefits as retrieval or spacing (Dunlosky et al., 2013; Hattie and Donoghue, 2021). If retrieval practice is delayed until the end of a unit or before an exam, it models ineffective study habits. By spacing retrieval across the year, teachers create opportunities for deeper learning and more confident recall.

Combining Retrieval Practice and Spacing for Exam Success

Retrieval and spaced practice should therefore be seen as two sides of the same coin. Teachers and students need to know, understand and implement both strategies. When combined, they create powerful routines for lasting learning and effective exam preparation. By combining retrieval and spacing, teachers and students can make learning stick for the long term while reducing stress and avoiding last-minute cramming.

To learn more about memory and learning in the classroom, you can complete the Science of Learning Programme as part of the Great Teaching Toolkit.

Free eBooks, including ‘Understanding Memory and Learning’ and ‘Retrieval Practice: Myths, Mutations and Mistakes’, are available to download here.

References

Agarwal, P.K. and Carpenter, S.K. (2020). Retrieval practice and distributed practice. In: Weinstein, Y., Sumeracki, M.A. and Caviglioli, O. Understanding how we learn: A visual guide. Abingdon: Routledge, pp. 49–55.

Agarwal, P.K., D’Antonio, L., Roediger, H.L. III, McDermott, K.B. and McDaniel, M.A. (2014) ‘Classroom-based programs of retrieval practice reduce middle school and high school students’ test anxiety’, Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 3(3), pp. 131–139. doi: 10.1016/j.jarmac.2014.07.002.

Bjork, R.A. and Bjork, E.L. (1992) A new theory of disuse and an old theory of stimulus fluctuation*. In: A. Healy, S. Kosslyn and R. Shiffrin (eds.) *From learning processes to cognitive processes: Essays in honour of William K. Estes. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum, pp. 35–67.

Cepeda, N.J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J.T. and Rohrer, D. (2006) ‘Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis’, *Psychological Bulletin*, 132(3), pp. 354–380. doi: 10.1037/0033-2909.132.3.354.

Dunlosky, J., Rawson, K.A., Marsh, E.J., Nathan, M.J. and Willingham, D.T. (2013) ‘Improving students’ learning with effective learning techniques: Promising directions from cognitive and educational psychology’, Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 14(1), pp. 4–58. doi: 10.1177/1529100612453266.

Hattie, J. and Donoghue, G.M. (2021) A meta-analysis of ten learning techniques. London: Routledge.