Did your child just spend an hour highlighting notes?
It probably felt productive.
Unfortunately, research says it probably wasn’t.
For years, we’ve encouraged students to: 📖 Re-read chapters 🖍️ Highlight important sentences 📝 Rewrite notes
They feel like studying because they’re familiar.
But they aren’t the techniques that produce the strongest learning.
A landmark review of learning research by Dunlosky and colleagues evaluated the most common study strategies and found something surprising:
❌ Low Utility • Re-reading • Highlighting • Summarizing
✅ High Utility • Practice testing (retrieving information from memory) • Spaced practice (studying over multiple sessions instead of cramming)
Why?
Because learning doesn’t happen when information simply passes through your eyes.
Learning happens when your brain has to work to retrieve it.
Research by Roediger and Karpicke showed that the effort of recalling information—even when it feels difficult—creates stronger, longer-lasting memories than simply reading the material again.
The struggle isn’t a sign that learning isn’t happening.
The struggle is the learning.
So here’s something every parent can try tonight.
Instead of saying:
“Go read that chapter one more time.”
Ask:
“Can you explain what you just read without looking at your notes?”
If they pause…
If they have to think…
If they stumble a little…
That’s exactly what you want.
That moment of retrieval is strengthening the memory.
And if you repeat that process over several short study sessions instead of one marathon cram session, the results are even better.
Sometimes the most effective study tool isn’t another textbook.
It’s a simple question from a parent.
Have you ever tried this with your child? I’d love to hear what worked in the comments.
#LearningScience #Education #Parenting #StudyTips #Memory #SAT #ACT #CollegePrep #RichardsonTestPrep