Harnessing Interleaved Practice in Mathematics Education

Episode 211: This week on Thinking Deeply about Primary Education, I’m joined by John Jackson and Emma Lindley-Thompson from Ambition Institute to explore interleaving practice in mathematics lessons. Drawing on their expert edit, Helping Pupils Learn Maths, and insights from a seminal study, we dive into how interleaving can transform the way students engage with and retain mathematical concepts.

We discuss:

• What motivated the creation of Helping Pupils Learn Maths and how teachers can make the most of it.
• Why a key study on interleaving caught their attention and its implications for teaching.
• The characteristics that make interleaved practice effective.
• Practical strategies for implementing interleaving in the classroom.
• How to avoid common misconceptions and pitfalls, like teaching different topics every day.

Whether you’re a teacher, leader, or researcher, this episode provides actionable insights to help you harness the power of interleaving in the (mathematics) classroom.

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