7 Steps to Make Learning Stick: From Mind to Memory
You know that moment when you pour your heart into a brilliant explanation, pupils nod along enthusiastically, and you think, “Yes — nailed it!”
…Only for the very same class to look at you 24 hours later as if you’ve started speaking ancient Greek.
Welcome to the maddening magic trick of teaching: pupils can look like they’ve learned something today, and then poof — it vanishes tomorrow.
But here’s the twist: it’s not bad teaching, lazy pupils, or Mercury in retrograde. It’s simply how memory works.
The good news? We don’t have to accept it. Cognitive science gives us clear, practical strategies to help knowledge stick — and the best part is, they don’t require reinventing the wheel.
That’s exactly what our Mind to Memory course is about — but let’s start with the science.
The Science in Plain English (and Backed by Research)
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Working Memory is limited. It can hold just a handful of items (around 4), which is why pupils may only remember the first instruction and forget the rest (Cowan, 2010).
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Long-Term Memory is vast. It can store knowledge and skills for years, but only if information is processed deeply and connected to prior knowledge (Willingham, 2009).
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Cognitive Load matters. When pupils face too many new ideas, cluttered resources, or unclear instructions, their working memory gets overwhelmed — preventing transfer into long-term storage (Sweller, 1988; Sweller, van Merriënboer & Paas, 2019).
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Retrieval beats re-reading. Decades of research (Roediger & Karpicke, 2006) shows pupils remember more when they are asked to pull information out of memory rather than re-study notes.
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Spacing strengthens memory. Revisiting knowledge at intervals — not cramming — creates stronger, longer-lasting retention (Cepeda et al., 2006).
These principles give us a simple message: if we teach in ways that align with how memory works, learning lasts. If not, we end up reteaching.
Here are seven practical steps — with thought prompts — to help you put the science into action.
1. Keep It Small and Chunky
Working memory is like a notepad with space for just four ideas. Overload it and the rest gets dropped.
👉 Think like a juggler — a few balls at a time keeps everything in the air.
💭 Prompt question: In your last lesson, how many separate instructions did you give at once? Could you break them down more clearly?
2. Hook into Prior Knowledge
New learning sticks when it latches onto what pupils already know.
Example: Teaching evaporation? Compare it to wet clothes drying on the line.
💭 Prompt question: What “hooks” can you use tomorrow that connect new ideas to pupils’ everyday lives?
3. Strip Away the Noise
Every extra distraction eats into working memory. Clean slides, short instructions, focused activities.
💭 Prompt question: If you looked at yesterday’s resources, what would you cut to sharpen the focus?
4. Model It First
Novices learn faster when we show before asking them to do.
“I do – we do – you do” reduces overload and builds confidence.
💭 Prompt question: Do you always model first, or sometimes expect independence too soon?
5. Use Words and Pictures (Wisely)
The brain learns through two channels — verbal and visual. Use diagrams, timelines, and concept maps, but only when they genuinely clarify.
💭 Prompt question: Where could a strong visual deepen understanding in your subject?
6. Get It Out, Not In
Retrieval is the engine of memory. Pupils remember more when they pull knowledge out than when they re-read.
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Quick low-stakes quizzes
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“Brain dumps”
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Revisiting topics after forgetting has started
💭 Prompt question: How often do your lessons start with recall, not just review?
7. Build Routines and Memory Aids
Predictable structures free up working memory for the new stuff.
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Checklists
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Instruction boards
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Step cards for writing or problem solving
💭 Prompt question: What one new routine could you embed to reduce cognitive load in your classroom?
Reflection Before the Course
Take five minutes to jot down:
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Which of these strategies do you already use?
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Which one feels like your next growth area?
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How might embedding these approaches save time reteaching and boost independence?
Bring these reflections with you — they’ll help you hit the ground running.
Want to Go Deeper?
This blog is both pre-reading for participants and a taster for anyone curious about the power of memory science.
Our Mind to Memory: Applying Cognitive Science in the Classroom course takes these ideas further:
✅ One-day workshop packed with practical demos
✅ 20 hours of online learning to embed strategies over time
✅ Tools for retrieval practice, spaced repetition, and reducing overload
✅ A research base you can trust, adapted for Bangladeshi classrooms
Teachers who’ve joined us say they reteach less, pupils remember more, and confidence grows across the classroom.
👉 Click here to find out more and sign up
References
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Cepeda, N. J., Pashler, H., Vul, E., Wixted, J. T., & Rohrer, D. (2006). Distributed practice in verbal recall tasks: A review and quantitative synthesis. Psychological Bulletin, 132(3), 354–380.
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Cowan, N. (2010). The magical mystery four: How is working memory capacity limited, and why? Current Directions in Psychological Science, 19(1), 51–57.
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Roediger, H. L., & Karpicke, J. D. (2006). Test-enhanced learning: Taking memory tests improves long-term retention. Psychological Science, 17(3), 249–255.
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Sweller, J. (1988). Cognitive load during problem solving: Effects on learning. Cognitive Science, 12(2), 257–285.
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Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31, 261–292.
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Willingham, D. T. (2009). Why don’t students like school? San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
