Using Broad Recall Prompts as a Retrieval Practice Strategy to Encourage Durable Learning

Ask students to close their books and put their notes away. Now ask a broad recall question. Below are some examples. 

• Use the next 3 minutes to write down everything you remember from the previous lecture/video/activity/page, etc. 
• Write down 3 things you remember from this lesson. 
• List one thing you learned, one thing you already knew (or thought you knew and now know you misunderstood), and something you are still confused about. 
• In 1-2 sentences, how would you describe what you just learned/read/watched to your family at the dinner table?  
• What are two things you learned in last week’s lesson? 
• Write down everything you remember about xyz topic that we discussed last week. 
• In your own words, explain how the xyz reaction behaves. 

This can be done in real-time in a traditional classroom or using technology, such as H5P or a survey, quiz, or discussion board in your LMS in an online class.  

Asking students to close their books, put away their notes and write down what they have learned about a topic is an effective way to help students remember and learn. You can do this at the end of a topic, lecture, video, etc. Repeating similar questions at spaced intervals, such as at the end of a unit, or before or after the next lecture, will increase the retention benefits of the exercise.

Allowing students an opportunity to check their recall is a good idea. This can be done by allowing 2 – 3 minutes for students to look back at their notes or doing a quick Think-Pair-Share activity immediately following the broad recall activity.

There is no need to grade this activity, although attaching a small grade in an online class might increase the student’s engagement with the activity.