English

Stage 4 English classes have been busy preparing for their poetry tests. While students have been taught the necessary content during class, they have been encouraged to revise and practice using their analysis skills at home in preparation for the tests. In his seminal work on effective study practices, Strengthening The Student Toolbox, John Dunlosky provides two primary strategies to study effectively and boost student learning: practice testing and distributed practice.

In response, students have been taught to create flashcards to regularly test their understanding of key poetic terms. The flashcards should have a cue on one side, usually a key term or image, then a definition, example and perhaps a non-example on the flipside of the card. Students can then test themselves by looking at the cue and retrieving the necessary information about the key term or principle. Cards should be revised regularly (distributed practice), perhaps according to the Leitner method, as seen below.

Once students have mastered the key terms, they can apply these to practice questions, generating their own interpretations of poems and supporting these with evidence and analysis.

The flashcards and the poetry test are a good example of how English students can use practice testing and distributed practice alongside reading and writing to boost learning and retain what has been taught.

Mr Shaun Ellis | English KLA Leader