How learning works
Why memory, attention and prior knowledge decide what students learn, and why novices learn differently from experts. I've gathered explainers, podcast episodes and reading on cognitive load theory, working memory and schema building here. They are a good place to start if you want to know why explicit teaching works.
Practices in this area:Working memory limitsSchema buildingNovice and expert differencesForgetting
Lesson with commentary
AERO · 7:26 · F-10 · Australia
Teachers from Year 1 to Year 10 in NSW and WA schools explain learning objectives, return to them and the success criteria during the lesson, and link new content to what students already know.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Lesson footage
Research Schools Network · UK
Worked examples that break multi-step maths processes into manageable parts.
FreeOpens at researchschool.org.uk
Lesson footage
Research Schools Network · UK
A Year 1 maths activity designed to activate what pupils already know.
FreeOpens at researchschool.org.uk
Lesson with commentary
Research Schools Network · Primary · UK
A teacher and pupils reflect on how learning happens in a primary classroom.
FreeOpens at researchschool.org.uk
Explainer
NSW Department of Education · 3:15 · F-12 · Australia
A short animation explaining how breaking new learning into small parts in a logical order protects working memory. The video sits partway down the strategy page.
FreeOpens at education.nsw.gov.au
Explainer
AERO · Australia
A short animation on how learning happens, covering working memory, long-term memory, cognitive overload and why retrieving knowledge over time builds mastery. Handy for introducing staff to the basics.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Explainer
Education Endowment Foundation · 2:57 · UK
A three-minute Education Endowment Foundation video on supporting working memory in the primary classroom. Short enough to watch and discuss in a team meeting.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Series
ONlit, with Nathaniel Swain and guests · Six sessions · 2025 · Canada
A six-part book study on Nathaniel Swain's Harnessing the Science of Learning, with guest experts joining each session.
FreeOpens at onlit.org
Explainer
Evidence Based Education · Five short animations · UK
Five short animations on memory, dual coding, retrieval practice, deliberate practice, and spacing and interleaving. Easy to drop into a staff meeting.
FreeOpens at evidencebased.education
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Peps Mccrea · About 1 hour · 2026 · UK
Peps Mccrea sets out a framework of five evidence-informed strategies teachers can use to lift learning, motivation and equity.
FreeOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Benjamin Riley · About 1 hour · 2025 · USA
Benjamin Riley tells the story of how cognitive science emerged from the mid-century contest between behaviourism and mentalism, and argues it still matters for teaching today.
FreeOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Stuart Kime · About 1 hour · 2026 · UK
Stuart Kime considers what research says about how teachers build expertise through knowledge, skills and habits, and offers techniques to try in your own practice.
FreeOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Nuella Flynn, AERO · 30 to 60 minutes · 2023 · Australia
Nuella Flynn introduces AERO's model of learning and teaching, explaining why practices aligned with how students learn work more consistently and how the model can frame teacher development.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Peter Sherwin · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Maths teacher Peter Sherwin draws on Bjork's desirable difficulties to describe effective teaching techniques and study habits that feel uncomfortable or counter-intuitive, and how to build them into lessons.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Siobhan Merlo · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Siobhan Merlo offers a cognitive science lens for judging maths teaching approaches, covering working memory load, primary and secondary knowledge, and how information should be presented.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Think Forward Educators, with Nathaniel Swain · 30 to 60 minutes · 2024 · Australia
Nathaniel Swain introduces his book Harnessing the Science of Learning, using its school case studies to show how small changes in teaching, literacy, maths and curriculum add up.
Free account neededOpens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Webinar
Cambridge University Press ELT, with Joni Holmes · About 50 minutes · UK
Researcher Joni Holmes speaks on working memory and classroom learning. Relevant across this section, because many students with learning difficulties also find it hard to hold information in mind.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Talk
WISE Channel, with Stanislas Dehaene · About 34 minutes · International
Professor Stanislas Dehaene's lecture on how the brain learns to read, published by the WISE Channel and about 34 minutes long.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
Teachers Talk Radio, with Jamie Clark and Nathaniel Swain · 2024 · UK
Jamie Clark talks with Australian teacher and researcher Nathaniel Swain about the science of learning movement and practical classroom strategies drawn from it.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Interview
Teachers Talk Radio, with Jamie Clark and Peter Sherwin · 2024 · UK
Maths teacher Peter Sherwin joins Jamie Clark to unpack Bjork and Bjork's desirable difficulties and how to design lessons that make learning stick.
FreeOpens at youtube.com
Explainer
AERO · Australia
An animated walk through AERO's model of learning and teaching, showing how its four phases of practice (enabling, planning, instruction and gradual release) line up with how students learn.
FreeOpens at edresearch.edu.au
Explainer
NSW Department of Education · 4:10 · F-12 · Australia
A four-minute animation covering attention, working memory, overload and long-term memory. A plain starting point for staff discussion about how students learn.
FreeOpens at education.nsw.gov.au
How memory works
Chalk & Talk · with Hector Ruiz Martin
Héctor Ruiz Martín explains what memory research says about why students forget, why transfer is difficult, and the roles of prior knowledge and retrieval.
FreeOpens at chalkandtalkpodcast.podbean.com
Core teaching habits
Knowledge for Teachers · with Carl Hendrick
Carl Hendrick, co-author of How Learning Happens, discusses five things every teacher should do and how to bridge research and classroom practice.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Study habits
Education Research Reading Room · with Daniel Willingham
Daniel Willingham discusses his book Outsmart Your Brain, explaining why learning is hard and which study habits help students learn independently.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Knowledge for Teachers · with Paul Kirschner and Nidhi Sachdeva
Paul Kirschner and Nidhi Sachdeva discuss their book Becoming an Expert Teacher, challenging the idea that great teaching is innate or comes simply with years of experience.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Chalk & Talk · with Nidhi Sachdeva and Paul Kirschner
Nidhi Sachdeva and Paul Kirschner discuss what makes an expert teacher and how teaching expertise can be deliberately developed, drawing on their book Becoming an Expert Teacher.
FreeOpens at chalkandtalkpodcast.podbean.com
Cognitive science in the classroom
Evidence into Action
An EEF panel explores the findings of the evidence review Cognitive Science in the Classroom and what they mean for classroom practice.
FreeOpens at evidenceintoaction.podbean.com
Five core techniques
Teachers Talk Radio · with Jamie Clark
Jamie Clark walks Tom Rogers through five one-pagers, on minimising distractions, worked examples, activating prior knowledge, think, pair, share and low-stakes recall.
FreeOpens at podcasts.apple.com
Connecting to prior knowledge
Education Research Reading Room · with Sarah Cottingham
Sarah Cottingham discusses her book on Ausubel's meaningful learning and what the theory suggests about connecting new content to what students already know.
FreeOpens at ollielovell.com
Science of learning priorities
Knowledge for Teachers · with Nathaniel Swain
Nathaniel Swain discusses his book Harnessing the Science of Learning and the decisions schools and teachers face in prioritising what matters.
FreeOpens at knowledgeforteachers.podbean.com
Engagement versus learning
Chalk & Talk · with Paul Kirschner, Carl Hendrick and Jim Heal
Paul Kirschner, Carl Hendrick and Jim Heal discuss their book Instructional Illusions and how to bridge the gap between education research and practice.
FreeOpens at chalkandtalkpodcast.podbean.com
Paul Kirschner · Substack · 2026 · International
Kirschner outlines ten classroom practices that look effective but are not, such as busy engagement and motivation first, and explains what the research suggests teachers do instead.
FreeOpens at paulkirschner173727.substack.com
Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Explains working memory, long-term memory and schemas, then offers six ways to plan instruction that avoids overload. Draws on the NSW CESE classroom practice guide.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (NSW) · Practice guide · Australia
Opens at education.nsw.gov.au
Carl Hendrick (The Learning Dispatch) · Substack · 2025 · UK
Hendrick answers common criticisms of the science of learning, such as claims it is dogma or de-skills teachers, and sets out the research base and the equity case for it.
FreeOpens at carlhendrick.substack.com
Daisy Christodoulou (No More Marking) · Substack · 2026 · UK
Christodoulou revisits a myth from her own book, arguing that skills such as creativity and critical thinking depend on knowledge of a particular domain, and considers what follows for schools.
FreeOpens at substack.nomoremarking.com
AERO · Research summary · 2023 · Australia
Opens at edresearch.edu.au
Daniel Willingham · Article · 2021 · USA
Opens at aft.org
Natalie Wexler (Minding the Gap) · Substack · 2026 · USA
Wexler argues that explicit instruction and retrieval practice are not enough on their own, and that students also need to elaborate on new knowledge, with writing as a practical way to do it.
FreeOpens at nataliewexler.substack.com
Jamie Clark (DistillED) · Newsletter article · 2026 · Australia
A framework for designing lessons that secure, direct and orchestrate students' attention, written up from a webinar. Covers distractions from devices, peers, the room and busy slides.
FreeOpens at newsletter.jamieleeclark.com
Ben Cooper (WAGOLL Teaching) · Substack · 2026 · UK
A primary lesson recount showing dual coding used properly, with words, diagrams and gesture working together rather than decorative icons on slides.
FreeOpens at wagollteaching.com
Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Shows how to design slides and handouts that cut clutter, keep information visible and keep related material together, with short subject examples for each cognitive load effect.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Paul Kirschner · Substack · 2026 · International
Kirschner separates a knowledge-rich curriculum, which is sequenced so ideas build on each other across years, from one that simply piles up facts, and explains why the difference matters for teachers and schools.
FreeOpens at paulkirschner173727.substack.com
Ambition Institute (Peps Mccrea) · Paper · UK
Opens at ambition.org.uk
Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (NSW) · Research summary · 2017 · Australia
Opens at education.nsw.gov.au
Deans for Impact · Research summary · 2026 · USA
Opens at deansforimpact.org
Slava Kalyuga · Article · UK
Opens at my.chartered.college
Martin Ravindran, Journal of Think Forward Educators · Journal article (PDF) · 2024 · Australia
A brief teacher-written introduction to cognitive load theory by Martin Ravindran, suitable as pre-reading for a staff session.
Opens at thinkforwardeducators.org
Susan Gathercole and Tracy Packiam Alloway · Guide · 2007 · UK
A classroom guide to working memory by researchers Susan Gathercole and Tracy Packiam Alloway, hosted by the University of Cambridge. Older, but still a well-known introduction for teachers.
FreeOpens at calm.mrc-cbu.cam.ac.uk
Nathaniel Swain · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Swain answers the claim that explicit teaching produces passive learners. He shows how building secure foundations first lets students generate and apply ideas, so knowledge becomes something to think with.
FreeOpens at nathanielswain.substack.com
Tom Sherrington · Substack · 2026 · UK
Sherrington uses a simple memory model to explain how talk supports learning, and argues that if talk helps students learn, routines must give every student the chance to talk, not just a few.
FreeOpens at tomsherrington.substack.com
Carl Hendrick (The Learning Dispatch) · Substack · 2026 · UK
Using two recent studies, Hendrick shows that students can remember more yet apply no better, and argues retrieval practice works best to maintain knowledge that has first been properly understood.
FreeOpens at carlhendrick.substack.com
Craig Barton (Tips for Teachers) · Substack · 2026 · UK
Barton breaks down a meta-analysis of classroom experiments on adding pictures and diagrams to explanations, including where visuals helped most and how to use them well.
FreeOpens at tipsforteachers.substack.com
Daisy Christodoulou (No More Marking) · Substack · 2025 · UK
Starting with her grandmother's mental arithmetic, Christodoulou asks whether technology lets us skip the practice that builds knowledge and skill, and why schools need to keep those cognitive muscles working.
FreeOpens at substack.nomoremarking.com
Rebecca Birch (On Education) · Substack · 2026 · Australia
Birch explains how new research on prior knowledge and the expertise reversal effect has partly changed her view on whether gifted learners always need explicit teaching before problem solving.
FreeOpens at rebeccabirch.substack.com
Doug Lemov (Doug Lemov's Field Notes) · Substack · 2026 · USA
Lemov shares notes on Daniel Willingham's explanation of why stories are easier to understand and remember, and what that means for how teachers structure explanations and use shared stories.
FreeOpens at douglemov.substack.com
Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Distils Daniel Willingham's account of how thinking and memory work, and what that means for planning lessons that make students think hard about the right things.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Paul Kirschner · Substack · 2025 · International
A clear explainer on the limits of working memory and how schemas and chunking let learners hold and use more, with implications for how teachers sequence and present new material.
FreeOpens at paulkirschner173727.substack.com
AERO · Research summaries and explainers · Australia
Opens at edresearch.edu.au
Daniel Willingham · Substack · 2026 · USA
Willingham proposes a guiding rule for school AI policies, that students should only use AI for tasks they can already do well, so the tools do not replace important thinking.
FreeOpens at dtwuva.substack.com
Natalie Wexler (Minding the Gap) · Substack · 2024 · USA
Wexler introduces Graham Nuthall's research on what students actually learn in class, including his finding that students typically need to meet a concept several times before it sticks.
FreeOpens at nataliewexler.substack.com
Jamie Clark (DistillED) · Newsletter article · 2026 · Australia
Looks at the evidence on handwriting versus typing and argues the slowness of handwriting can aid learning, with guidance on deciding which to use.
FreeOpens at newsletter.jamieleeclark.com
Ben Cooper (WAGOLL Teaching) · Substack · 2025 · UK
The first in a series on task design, explaining how tasks such as comparing, sequencing and chunking help primary children organise knowledge so it sticks.
FreeOpens at wagollteaching.com
Centre for Education Statistics and Evaluation (NSW) · One-page summary · 2017 · Australia
Opens at education.nsw.gov.au
Carl Hendrick (The Learning Dispatch) · Substack · 2025 · UK
Hendrick traces how translations and selective readings turned Vygotsky into a champion of discovery learning, and argues his own work placed far more weight on teaching systematic, scientific concepts.
FreeOpens at carlhendrick.substack.com
Daisy Christodoulou (No More Marking) · Substack · 2025 · UK
Using a marathon metaphor, Christodoulou explains why students should still learn to write when AI can produce text, because the purpose of writing in school is the thinking it builds.
FreeOpens at substack.nomoremarking.com
Jamie Clark · One-page guide · Australia
Explains why students remember what they produce themselves, and offers five classroom moves for sequencing AI use so it does not take over the thinking students need to do.
FreeOpens at jamieleeclark.com
Paul Kirschner · Substack · 2026 · International
Kirschner questions failure-first lesson designs, arguing that struggle before students have the knowledge to make sense of it is rarely a desirable difficulty, and that support should come first.
FreeOpens at paulkirschner173727.substack.com
Kirschner, Sweller and Clark · 2006 · Foundational research
Opens at caseresources.hsph.harvard.edu
Perry, Lea and colleagues (EEF) · 2021 · Evidence review
Opens at educationendowmentfoundation.org.uk
Podcast and blog · Australia
Opens at ollielovell.com
Substack · Australia
Opens at fillingthepail.substack.com
Substack · International
Opens at carlhendrick.substack.com
Blog and books · International
Opens at 3starlearningexperiences.wordpress.com
Articles · USA
Opens at danielwillingham.com
Substack · International
Opens at scienceoflearning.substack.com
One-pagers and newsletter · Australia
Perth-based head of professional growth and author of Teaching One-Pagers. His site offers free one-page guides on the science of learning and links to his DistillED newsletter.
Opens at jamieleeclark.com
