Learning and Teaching

Building Better Study Habits: Interleaving and Dual Coding

Last week, I introduced two foundational study techniques – Spaced Practice and Retrieval Practice – that help students retain information more effectively over time. I hope some of our students have begun experimenting with these approaches, and I encourage them to persist even when it feels challenging. Building new habits takes time and resilience.

This week, I'm sharing two more evidence-based strategies: Interleaving and Dual Coding. Both techniques enhance understanding and memory in ways that might surprise students – and parents, too.

Interleaving: Mixing It Up for Stronger Learning

Interleaving means mixing different topics or types of problems during a single study session, rather than focusing on just one topic at a time (which is called 'blocked practice').

Here's what the research tells us: when students study Topic A for an hour, then Topic B for an hour, then Topic C for an hour, it feels organised and productive. But when they mix all three topics within the same session – Topic A, then B, then C, then back to A – learning becomes much stronger, even though it feels harder.

Why? Interleaving forces the brain to keep switching between different strategies and concepts. That switching creates stronger connections and helps students recognise which approach to use in different situations – exactly what they need to do in tests and exams.

How students can use it:

• In Maths: Instead of doing 20 algebra questions in a row, try 5 algebra, 5 geometry, 5 statistics, then return to 5 more algebra questions
• Across subjects: When planning a study session, rotate between subjects every 20-30 minutes rather than spending 2 hours on one subject
• In sciences: Mix practice problems from different topics (e.g., forces, energy, electricity) rather than working through one chapter at a time
• In exam preparation: Create practice tests that mix questions from across the semester, not just the most recent unit

I know this feels less comfortable than blocked practice. Blocked practice creates a false sense of fluency – everything feels easier because you're in a rhythm. Interleaving creates desirable difficulty, and that difficulty is where the real learning happens. I encourage students to trust this process, even when it feels more challenging.

Dual Coding: Combining Words and Visuals

Dual Coding is the practice of combining verbal information (words) with visual information (images, diagrams, charts) to strengthen memory and understanding. Our brains process and store verbal and visual information through different pathways, so using both together creates stronger, more accessible memories.

This is not about making study notes look pretty – though there's nothing wrong with that. It's about deliberately translating information between words and images to deepen understanding.

How students can use it:

• In Sciences: Don't just read about the water cycle or cell structure – draw and label the diagram from memory, then check it against your textbook
• In Humanities: Create timelines with images and keywords for historical events; use concept maps to show relationships between ideas
• In Maths: Annotate worked examples with written explanations of each step; draw visual representations of word problems before solving them
• In English: Create visual story maps or character relationship diagrams; use colour coding to identify themes or literary techniques in texts
• Across all subjects: Transform your written notes into mind maps, flowcharts, or annotated diagrams

The key is active transformation. Simply highlighting textbook diagrams or copying images isn't dual coding – students need to create their own visual representations, which forces them to process the information deeply.

Putting it into practice this week:

I encourage students to try both techniques this week. When planning your next study session, interleave two or three different topics rather than blocking them separately. Notice how it feels more challenging – and remind yourself that this difficulty is productive.

Then, choose one topic you're currently studying and create a visual representation of it without looking at your notes first. Draw a diagram, create a mind map, or sketch out a timeline. Then check your textbook and fill in any gaps. That gap between what you remembered and what was actually there? That's where the learning happens.

Parents and carers, you might notice your child's study sessions looking more varied or messy than before – mixing subjects, creating diagrams, switching between tasks. This is exactly what we want to see. The neat, orderly approach isn't always the most effective one.

As always, if students need support with implementing these strategies or want to discuss how they might work in specific subjects, I'm here to help. These techniques require curiosity and a willingness to try something new, and I'm confident our students are ready for that challenge.