@TeacherToolkit
In 2010, Ross Morrison McGill founded @TeacherToolkit from a simple Twitter account through which he rapidly became the ‘most followed teacher on social media in the UK’. In 2015, he was nominated as one of the ‘500 Most Influential People in Britain’ by The Sunday…
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What is transfer-appropriate processing and how can it inform curriculum design?
To have memory successfully recall, there must be a successful encoding process …
Many teachers are increasingly interested in retrieval practice. There is a renewed interest in the development of study skills exploding in schools all across England, with more teachers beginning to take their knowledge one step further.
In my research and writing of my new book, I was privileged to work alongside Dr NarayanKripa Sundararajan who offered valuable support and challenge to my work.
In the many of the resources and ideas I shared, Kripa distinguished some of the research on memory I was presenting and subtle nuances. One of the scenarios I was presenting was ‘transfer-appropriate processing’ (TAP), a cognitive science term that is relatively new to me. I thought it was worth writing a short summary of what it is, and signposting you to a range of research materials.
What is Transfer Appropriate Processing?
Transfer-appropriate processing is a learning theory that explains how humans learn and store new information.
This theory suggests that the way we process new information is based on how we have processed similar information in the past. In other words, we learn best when we can transfer our previous knowledge and skills to a new situation.
Teachers will be familiar with the terms encoding and retrieval. Memory works best when the processes engaged in encoding match those engaged with retrieval. ‘Do now’ and starter activities are essential – think like a box-set!
Familiarity helps to remember…
So, if we want students to remember something, we need to ensure that they encode it in a way that will allow them to retrieve it later. This is where the notion of “transfer-appropriate processing” comes in.
It is also why I tell every teacher to not allow their students to revise with headphones on, or with background music!
The basic idea is that the way we process information will affect how well we remember it. If we want students to remember something, we need to ensure that they process it in a way that will allow them to retrieve it later.
Learn more?
There are over 2.7 million references on Google Scholar. This will prove a minefield for many teachers, so I have narrowed down the enquiry fields to help you better understand a range of contexts.
- The role of encoding and retrieval and the testing effect = 532 entries
- The role of TAP in developing memory = 5,800+ results
- The role of TAP in retrieval practice = 637 results
- The role of TAP in classrooms = 392 results
- The role of TAP in curriculum design = 70 results!
Schools that are developing coherent curriculums are providing opportunities for students to develop and embed their knowledge across a range of subjects and scenarios. I do wonder how many consider the encoding and retrieval process throughout their schemes of work?
If teachers and parents want young people to remember, students need to be taught how to decode and retrieve in a familiar context. Only when this knowledge is embedded, can we strengthen the schematic connections …
