Taken from a recent Marshall Memo:
Researchers in the Netherlands did a controlled study with second graders comparing flashcards with chanting times tables. After a pretest, half the class practiced the three times table using chanting and the other half with flashcards. Moving on to the four times table, the groups reversed methods, so all students practiced memorizing both ways.
The result? Chanting produced solid improvement over pretest results, but students who used flashcards did even better – and they maintained their advantage when all students were retested a week later.
The reason? Flashcards involve retrieving information – or trying to retrieve it – from the brain. “There’s a growing body of evidence,” says Barshay, “that trying to recall something is itself a powerful tool for learning, particularly when you are given the correct answer immediately after making a stab at it and then get a chance to try again. Testing your memory – even when you draw a blank – is a way to build new memories.” Systematically spacing retrieval practice over time solidifies information in long-term memory.
I love this article! The old-school way is still effective! Do you have flashcards at home for your child to practice?