8 Overlearning
Definition: Continued practice and support following student mastery
Rationale: Overlearning is used to help students lock in information and skills for increased accuracy and automaticity. In some cases, skills learned can slip after practice. Overlearning can help to support retention and memory and can often highlight student successes in the skill.
Ways to Support Students:
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- Identify skill(s) that have been learned and haven’t been practiced for a while or seem to be decreasing in accuracy.
- Support the student as needed as they practice the skill and activity. Highlight any areas or steps in need of attention.
- It can be helpful to have the student assess their own performance during overlearning so that they are aware of areas of success and areas for further work.
Case Study
Student: Grade 1 student
Content: Placing coat on the rack
Problem: Student has learned to place their backpack and coat on their rack hook at the start of school but have been forgetting or placing it on the wrong hook a few times this spring.
Solution: The teacher spends time each morning and after recess working with the student using the system of least prompts to support the student in completing each of the steps to hanging their coat on the appropriate hook on the rack.
Professional Resources:
- High Leverage Practice guide on maintenance and generalization of skills including tips on overlearning: https://exceptionalchildren.org/sites/default/files/2021-01/HLP%2021%20Admin%20Guide.pdf
- General definition and justification for overlearning from Eton College: https://cirl.etoncollege.com/dont-just-learn-emoverlearn-em/
