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Dr Benn
Head of Teaching and Learning

How can we deepen our understanding of human cognition and use that knowledge to enhance learning?

This was a key question teachers explored in our professional learning with Dr Simon Breakspear in January. Drawing on the work of cognitive psychologist Professor Daniel Willingham, we examined the role of attention, memory and practice in learning, with a particular focus on the relationship between working memory and long-term memory.

One of Professor Willingham’s key insights on learning is that working memory – the space where we actively process new information – is limited. For learning to be effective, new knowledge must be reinforced and transferred to long-term memory, where it can be retrieved and applied later. Interestingly, a focus on attention and memory seems to support (rather than stifle) creative and critical thinking. UNSW Emeritus Professor John Sweller describes the knowledge held in long-term memory as the ‘first prerequisite of critical and creative thinking’.

Teachers have been applying and evaluating approaches to support the transfer of knowledge to long-term memory in their subject areas. As a result, your daughter may be:

  • engaging in low-stakes quizzes or regular reviews to strengthen memory consolidation
  • using strategies to reduce cognitive overload and make learning more efficient
  • participating in “cold call” questioning, where teachers expect responses from all students, instead of volunteers, to promote active thinking
  • practising rephrasing and refining her responses to improve and strengthen her clarity and verbal reasoning skills
  • starting lessons with her laptop closed to allow time for focused discussion and engagement before introducing technology.

 

Professor Willingham reminds us that ‘memory is the residue of thought’. The more deeply the girls engage with ideas, the more lasting their learning will be.

 

Year 7 Parent Teacher Interviews

Bookings for Year 7 Parent Teacher interviews on Monday 31 March are currently open on Parent Lounge and close at 4:00pm on Sunday 30 March. We look forward to discussing your daughter’s progress with you.