A useful tool to aid retrieval practice are Knowledge Organisers. These are fact focused, and present information in an easily digestable format in order to help construct schemas. When referred to regularly, in a planner manner, they can greatly aid working memory and explicit vocabulary instruction.
It is essential to think carefully how these are designed, to support working memory. It is also useful to consider designing different activities to utilise Knowledge Organisers such as:
- Low stakes quizzing of the knowledge organiser’s content
- Elaborative interrogation: furthering questioning to connect knowledge
- Re-organise the knowledge organiser into something different e.g. a list, concept map etc
Here are some examples Knowledge Organisers