1) Memory — the constraints and opportunities

• Working memory is limited. Presenting too many isolated facts at once causes overload.
• Long-term memory stores schemas (organized knowledge). Learning is meaningful when new info hooks onto existing schemas (Ausubel).
• Brain research: experiences + reflection build synapses; repetition + variety (spacing, interleaving) helps consolidation.

Practical moves for lessons:

• Start with an advance organizer: a short overview or concept map that shows the “big picture” (helps holists and orients serialists).
• Activate prior knowledge: ask targeted questions, quick diagnostic quizzes, or concept sketches.
• Chunk content into meaningful units. Avoid long uninterrupted lectures.
• Use retrieval practice: short low-stakes quizzes, flash retrievals, or concept-recall tasks across days.
• Space and interleave practice across lessons rather than massing a single skill in one block.
• Use dual coding: combine clear visuals with words to help encoding.

Example activity:

• 5-minute concept map at the start → 15-minute guided practice (worked example) → 10-minute paired retrieval quiz → 10-minute application problem → exit ticket recalling the main idea.