Blocked vs. Interleaved Practice:
Blocked Practice (Traditional):
- Study Topic A for 1 hour
- Study Topic B for 1 hour
- Study Topic C for 1 hour
- Feels easier but creates weaker learning
Interleaved Practice (Superior):
- Study Topic A for 20 minutes
- Study Topic B for 20 minutes
- Study Topic C for 20 minutes
- Repeat cycle twice more
- Feels harder but creates stronger, more flexible learning
Why Interleaving Works:
- Discrimination: Forces you to identify which strategy applies to which problem
- Elaboration: Creates more connections between concepts
- Spacing: Natural spacing between similar concepts
- Transfer: Better ability to apply knowledge in new contexts
Practical Interleaving Applications:
Language Learning:
- Mix vocabulary, grammar, listening, and speaking in each session
- Alternate between different tenses or grammatical structures
- Practice different skills (reading, writing, speaking) within one session
Mathematics:
- Mix different types of problems in practice sets
- Alternate between algebra, geometry, and statistics
- Practice both calculation and word problems together
History:
- Study different time periods in the same session
- Mix political, social, and economic history
- Compare and contrast different civilizations