Just as teachers benefit from an understanding of the Learning Sciences in their lesson planning and preparation, so to do students when they are studying for major summative assessments.
A survey of TGS students in Years 9 to 12 found that 70% of our boys felt that they knew how to study, with the biggest impediments to study being lack of motivation and too many distractions. The most highly preferred study technique was found to be rewriting notes. Cramming, rereading the text and rewriting notes have been demonstrated to have low utility when it comes to learning and students who repeatedly use these three techniques will find their confidence in their capacity to study and learn decrease over time. So, despite students reporting that they knew how to study, 70% of the surveyed students were reliant on low utility methods.
Toowoomba Grammar School has partnered with A Learner’s Toolkit, an evidence-based program designed to use the principles of the learning sciences to teach students how to use their study time to greatest effect. By providing them with a suite of study skills and an understanding of why they work, students are empowered to take better control of their learning. By having a greater range of high efficacy skills and study behaviours the learning return for study time invested by the students can increase significantly.
The program has been initially introduced into the Years 9 and 10 Well Being and Character Development (WCD) Program. It will be extended into Years 7 and 8 in 2024, when WCD is introduced to those year levels. Students in Years 11 and 12 are introduced to the concepts through their QCE Skills lessons.
The study skills are taught with a focus on a curriculum area; the evidence suggests that students will embed the strategies and have true changes in the learning behaviours when they are presented in context. The embedding of these skills is further supported by all teachers understanding the learning sciences and the ability to reinforce the skills through their curriculum.
There are six study strategies within A Learner’s Toolkit:
Read it involves purposeful, active reading to construct meaning and make connections. Simple strategies such as using Cornell Notes ensure that students are thoughtful about the information they consume and make meaningful notes and summaries.
Retrieve it shows retrieval is the top cognitive strategy to fight forgetting. Retrieval practice involves the deliberate recall of information from the long-term memory. Strategies for retrieval practice include a quick review (work from yesterday, last week, last month) and practice tests.
Space it focuses on spaced practice and is aligned with retrieval practice. By spacing out the retrieval, students are not tempted to cram and will benefit in their capacity to retrieve the information over time. Ideally in an 8–10 week term, students should be retrieving every 8-10 days.
Jumble it is also known as interleaving. By changing the study order, students can make greater connections, such as similarities and differences and can help scaffold problem solving. Strategies include the use of flash cards or online quizzes.
Visualise it uses the principle of dual coding; the fact that the brain processes textual and visual information through different pathways, so by tapping into this skill, students can get twice the potential learning for their effort. Strategies include graphic organisers, mind maps and creating sketches.
Connect it is a simple way of describing elaborative interrogation – explaining the concepts in detail and making connections. This helps students build schemas in their mind which deepens their understanding and their capacity to apply their knowledge. Strategies include deliberately seeking the connections; determining how the different ideas work together. Another great way to deepen the understanding and identify connections is to work through a questioning framework, What, How Why.
- by Dr Alison Young, Director of Studies
Latest Blog
In memory of Light Horse Field Ambulances
Toowoomba Grammar School would like to acknowledge our admiration for the loyalty, service and bravery exhibited by TGS Old Boys who so valiantly served. We are all the beneficiaries of their sacrifice, and their selfless actions continue to inspire a spirit of service amongst our current students. Today we focus on the contribution of one TGS Old Boy who made a significant contribution to World War I. Here is some of the incredible story of Major Avery, DSO and if you visit the School Museum…
New Caledonia, new horizons and travel through an educational lens
The opportunity to travel not only opens doors to new experiences but also fosters an increased intercultural understanding and empathy, both essential qualities for navigating and existing within our diverse world. For a group of language students travelling to New Caledonia, our recent French Language and Cultural Tour was a unique opportunity for such experiential learning, where language acquisition went beyond just learning vocabulary and grammar - and instead became a gateway to connect…
Erik Sheppard - making TGS Army Cadet Unit history
The 2024 Dining in Night was made even more special with the appointment of the first Toowoomba Grammar School Army Cadet Unit (TGS ACU) Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) Erik Sheppard who was awarded his rank and pace stick by the 16th Battalion Commanding officer MAJ (AAC) Gary MacLachlan. WO1 Sheppard enlisted in the TGS ACU just before the COVID shutdown in 2020. Although this was not the ideal way to begin a cadet career, he was able to adapt and overcome the virtual…
The Big Six Reading Tips
Unlocking Literacy - The Big Six Elements for Your Child’s Reading Success Literacy skills are a core component of each day for our students, and parents often ask how they can support this from home. I am delighted to share with our parent community the essential components that underpin successful reading development. These elements, known as the Big Six, provide a solid foundation for your son’s literacy journey. These critical building blocks include: Oral Language: Communication skills are…
Boarding - Building Men of Good Character
Over the past five years, we have found one of the most valuable lessons that boarding can teach teenage boys is the ability to self-navigate and overcome challenges. Entering a boarding house is the first time many boarders have stepped away from the comfort and security of their parents and guardians. Although this can be a daunting experience, one of the things that this unfamiliarity creates is the ability to organise yourself. With a larger workload than previous years, a greater number…
The Learning Pit
Learning is at our core and covers all subject disciplines, co-curricular pursuits, personal development and interest areas. Helping our Toowoomba Grammar School boys view learning as a disposition that goes well beyond the classroom context is incredibly important. Learning has a life-long value in all we do. We also acknowledge that learning can be challenging at times, and it can be uncomfortable, but also wonderfully inspiring and fulfilling. Appreciating the full range of feelings and…
Leap Before You Look
The boarding journey offers students a plethora of opportunities to step outside of their comfort zone and take advantage of new environments, relationships, and opportunities during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. We often talk about “character education” – a theory that originated in the US and has been increasingly embraced by leading schools globally. It is encouraging all students to develop new approaches to their learning, including aspects of morals and ethics, thinking,…
Literacy at TGS: A research-informed approach
A recent Grattan Institute report has shared that one-third of Australian students are failing to learn to read proficiently, referring to the situation as a ‘preventable tragedy’. In addition, the report identifies evidence-based approaches utilising structured literacy programs with phonics and explicit instruction as the most effective methods of teaching literacy. At Toowoomba Grammar School, we implement a structured synthetic phonics approach to teaching spelling and reading that…
Past Mothers, Present Supporters
Any Old Boy will tell you the Blue and Gold is part of their blood. They love the history, the traditions, the memories, and the lifelong friends they made during their time at Toowoomba Grammar School. Well, it seems the same can be said for many TGS mums. The Past Mothers’ Group was formed in 1979 by Mrs Mary Campbell who contacted as many past mothers as she could and invited them to meet at her home where the Past Mothers’ Group was officially formed with the intention of retaining links…
