As spring approaches, testing season ramps up, filling classroom schedules with assessments and adding pressure on both teachers and students. Educators often face the challenge of overloading students with review activities, making it crucial to balance between effective test prep with meaningful learning experiences. Review is important, but more is not always better. Repetitive worksheets and last-minute cramming can lead to burnout and disengagement (teacher and student included!) without improving retention. Research shows that thoughtful, strategic review practices can help students build confidence, retain information longer, and approach assessments with a stronger sense of self. Below we have provided engaging and effective ways to review content with students!
Retrieval Over Rereading
In retrieval practice, teachers ask students to recall information from memory rather than simply reviewing notes. Low-stakes quizzes, exit tickets, and discussion-based recall significantly improve retention and help students better understand what they do and don’t know (Latimier, Peyre, & Ramus, 2021)!
Spacing
When teachers space out their review over days or weeks it leads to stronger learning. This approach helps students retain information more effectively than cramming (Chen, Paas, & John, 2021). When you combine spacing and retrieval, you can prevent students from cramming and create a powerful learning environment.
Make Reviews Interactive
It can be tempting to rely on test-like questions, but this often focuses more on practice than true preparation. Effective review should include other aspects including discussion, application, and varied learning experiences that help students transfer knowledge to new contexts. Some ways you can make your learning more interactive can be found below:
- Academic Graffiti Walls: Students may encounter academic language on tests that may differ from what they experience in the classroom. An academic graffiti wall allows students to group and add synonyms for key concepts throughout the year to support flexible thinking.
- Brain Dumps: Before starting class, have students write everything they remember about the chosen topic down. Then have students compare and fill in gaps.
- Fix Mistakes: Present students with false answers and ask them to find and fix them.
- Stations: Set up stations with mixed topics instead of reviewing one skill at a time. Students rotate between them and switch their modes of thinking. For an easy-to-use template on stations, check out our Station Rotation Guide.
- Escape Room Review: Students can work individually or in teams to solve content-based puzzles, either digitally through tools like Google Slides or Forms or through hands-on activities in the classroom. If you’re wondering how to create one, take a look at Pocketful of Primary’s How to Create a Digital Escape Room Using Google Forms | Tutorial for Teachers.
- Silent Debate: Post a question on a whiteboard or chart paper and have students respond and reply to peers in writing. This can be done digitally by posting a question in a shared space such as Google Classroom, and having students respond in writing and reply to their peers’ responses. Other technology tools you can use are Padley, Jamboard, and a shared Google Document.
- AI Prompt Challenge: Students can write prompts to generate practice questions and then evaluate them.
Self-Assessments
Have students review their answers and rate how confident they feel in their responses. Afterwards, have students check their answers and reflect on any differences they noticed. Self-assessment improves student metacognition as it makes them fully aware of what they truly know versus what they think they know. (Bruno, Dell’Aversana, & Zappalà, 2023).
Cumulative Concept Mapping
Ask students to create and continuously revise their concept map over time. Students are able to add new connections between ideas, units, or skills as they learn. This strategy improves academic achievement, metacognition, memory, knowledge organization, and retention (Eshuis, Vrugte, & Jong, 2022). To make this strategy even more effective, use student-centered, interactive, collaborative, and paired with reflection. An example is provided below.
It’s important to remember that review can be effective without having to do more. It’s about doing what works! By choosing and using strategies listed above, teachers can create review opportunities that are both manageable and effective. When students are given chances to engage with content, reflect on their understanding, and make connections, they can build a stronger retention and confidence. The goal of review is to extend minds beyond a single assessment; it should empower students to become more independent and apply their knowledge into context.
For more information on test prep, check some of our previous blogs like “7 Strategies for Reducing tet Anxiety and Building Confidence” and “State Test Stress and How to Manage It.”
About the Author
Caitlyn McGuigan is a Professional Learning Specialist at Teaching Channel. She holds a B.A. in Integrated Educational Studies, as well as an M.A. in Curriculum and Instruction. Caitlyn has a dual credential in Multiple Subject and Special Education. With her extensive knowledge and experience, Caitlyn develops content that is thoughtfully designed to be accessible, engaging, and inclusive for all students, ensuring that diverse learning needs, abilities, and backgrounds are effectively supported. She enjoys language arts, especially creative writing. Her enthusiasm for the written word drives her to explore new ideas, inspire creativity in others, and continually refine her craft.
Fun Fact: Caitlyn has a scar on her forehead like Harry Potter.
