Three Strategies That Power Our Student Learning Resources
Most students forget what they learn within weeks. They can ace Friday’s test but struggle with the same material on Monday. This isn’t because they don’t try; it’s because traditional practice doesn’t align with how memory actually works. Simple Solutions’ student learning resources are built differently.
We apply three cognitive science strategies proven to strengthen long-term retention: retrieval practice, spaced practice (also called spiraling), and interleaving. Together, these strategies help students move from temporary memorization to genuine, lasting understanding.
Just 10-15 minutes daily using these methods produces measurable results: students remember what they learn, apply knowledge to new situations, and build the confidence that comes from actually knowing material rather than relearning it repeatedly. Want to read more about these concepts? Visit our resources section. Ready to discuss Simple Solutions further? Our team of consultants is ready to help.
How Simple Solutions Works
Retrieval Practice: Strengthening Memory Through Active Recall
When students complete a Simple Solutions lesson, they actively retrieve information from memory rather than simply reviewing it. This mental effort — the act of pulling knowledge from memory — strengthens neural pathways and makes future recall easier and more automatic.
Why it matters: Research shows that testing yourself is more effective for learning than rereading notes or reviewing examples. Retrieval practice doesn’t just assess what students know; it actively makes their knowledge stronger. Students who regularly practice retrieval develop deeper mastery and can apply what they’ve learned to new contexts.
Spaced Practice: Spreading Learning Over Time
Our materials revisit concepts systematically throughout the year through a process called spaced practice or “spiraling.” Rather than teaching a unit, testing it, and moving on, students encounter important concepts repeatedly at strategic intervals.
Why it matters: Traditional “massed practice” involves teaching one topic intensively then abandoning it, but only creates the illusion of learning. Students perform well on the immediate test but forget quickly. Spaced practice feels harder initially but produces dramatically stronger long-term retention. The effort of recalling material after time has passed strengthens memory more than continuous practice ever could.
Interleaving: Mixing Practice for Deeper Learning
Traditional textbooks present 20 problems of the same type, then move to the next topic. Simple Solutions does the opposite: each lesson combines different types of problems and concepts students have already learned.
Why it matters: When students work through identical problems in sequence, they’re not really thinking; they’re applying the same procedure repeatedly. Interleaving forces students to identify what type of problem they’re facing and select the appropriate strategy. This develops the flexible thinking students need for tests (which don’t label problem types) and for real-world applications (where problems don’t come sorted by category).
Why This Approach Works in Real Classrooms
What makes Simple Solutions unique isn’t that we discovered these strategies, but that we’ve built practical, classroom-ready student learning resources that apply these principles systematically across all grade levels and subjects.
Why is this approach effective in creating student learning resources?
- It Fits Your Schedule
- It Requires No Special Training
- It Complements Your Curriculum
- It Produces Visible Results
Ready to experience how retrieval practice, spaced practice, and interleaving work together? Contact us to request sample student learning resources for your grade level and subject areas.