Is Cognitive Science Enough To Transform Your Teaching?
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Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit in 2007, and today, he is one of the ‘most followed educators’on social media in the world. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday Times as a result of…
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What if cognitive science could make your teaching more effective?
Cognitive science offers powerful tools for teachers, but these strategies only work best when adapted to unique classroom contexts.
This research explores how teachers in England are using cognitive science to support student learning.
In The Enactment of Cognitive Science-Informed Approaches in the Classroom (Jørgensen, Perry, & Lea, 2024), 13 teachers share their experiences implementing strategies like retrieval practice and spaced learning. The findings reveal both the potential and challenges of these approaches, highlighting the importance of adapting methods to suit different subjects, students, and school contexts.
Cognitive science is a tool – not a cure. Learn how to use it effectively in the classroom.
Cognitive science-based methods like retrieval practice, spaced learning, and cognitive load reduction are widely promoted in education today. Only recently, the Education Endowment Foundation said “applying the principles of cognitive science is harder than knowing the principles.” Many teachers see these methods as highly effective tools that can make learning “stick” for students, helping them recall material better and supporting long-term learning.
This research explores how these strategies are being used by 13 teachers in England and explores the real-life obstacles and successes they encounter in adapting these methods to their classroom environments.
Why does this matter?
Cognitive science holds great promise for transforming teaching because it is grounded in research. However, this study shows that these strategies aren’t one-size-fits-all!
Adapting cognitive science to meet specific student needs and subject demands is crucial for success. Challenges arise due to factors like limited time, workload, and variations between subjects, which make flexibility essential. Recently, I challenged the notion (with research) that retrieval practice should not always happen at the beginning of lesson.
Years ago, teaching in London, I’d quiz students at the start of every lesson, thinking I’d found the perfect recall trick. But I soon realised: cognitive science isn’t just about what works in theory—it’s about what works here and now, in the real-world classroom. This new research reaffirms that point, showing that strategies like retrieval practice need to be flexible. Just as we adapt our teaching for each student, we need to adjust these science-backed techniques for our subjects, our schedules, and our teaching style to truly make them work.
Using ANY method requires whole-school consistency and a shared understanding among teachers to be most effective.
Teach students about the science of learning
As part of my teacher training, I always use the example of teaching children about sex education. We don’t teach children the nicknames for our body parts, we teach them the biological names! They should also be the case for teaching and learning. Instead of revision, we should be using retrieval as our chosen language – plus many others.
Teachers can start by introducing cognitive science strategies gradually and explaining their benefits to students.
Strategies like low-stakes quizzes for retrieval practice or visual aids for dual coding can be simple to implement. Teachers may find that these approaches work best when introduced consistently and supported by collaborative CPD. A whole-school approach can be beneficial, helping both students and staff become more familiar with these techniques. It’s also essential for teachers to observe what’s working and adapt based on feedback and reflection.
Reflection questions for teachers to consider
- Which cognitive science strategies could benefit your students most?
- How might you adjust these strategies for different subjects?
- Would a whole-school approach to cognitive science unify your teaching team?
- How do you assess whether these strategies improve student outcomes?
- Could you integrate more frequent low-stakes quizzes into lessons?
- How can you help students understand the benefits of these strategies?
- Could inter-school dialogue help your team better adopt these methods?
- How might these strategies help reduce achievement gaps for disadvantaged students?
- What obstacles might you face in implementing these strategies, and how could you overcome them?
- How can professional development support your use of cognitive science in teaching?
Teachers who want to enhance retention and student understanding might find cognitive science strategies transformative. By slowly integrating methods like retrieval practice and spaced learning, teachers can make these principles a natural part of their teaching toolkit.
The research concludes:
Teachers cannot simply apply a strategy in their classroom; they need to explain it to students, convince them that it is worth trying and challenge existing preconceptions about teaching and learning!
Download and read the full paper.
