Spaced Repetition and Specific Learning Disabilities
I share with my students that I’m a autistic gestalt processor (aka, non-verbal). I share that my diagnosis indicates Level 2, problems with functional language. I share the many ways in which I support myself in my adult professional life, and how these supports can benefit them as well.
Take language development, for example. In my upcoming book, Holistic Language Instruction, I dive deep into why it was that I graduated from a very good American high school functionally illiterate. I also dive deeply into my path to literacy as an adult.
One of the tools that I use to support my use of language, that I share with my students but didn’t include in the book, is Duolingo. I’ve used Duolingo to keep me connected with my German skills (my first learned language) as well as my English (my second learned language). I also use it to help my build and maintain scripts in Spanish and Russian, the language of many of my students. In all, I spend about an hour a day with the tool.
Given my learning disabilities and how my gestalt processing and autism all interact with my ability to function with language, what I really appreciate is how Duolingo uses the “spaced repetition” approach.
The history of spaced repetition
Hermann Ebbinghaus was a pioneer in memory research in the late 1800s. Through his experiments with memorizing nonsense syllables, he plotted out the “forgetting curve” showing how we progressively forget newly learned information over time unless it's reviewed and reinforced.
Building on Ebbinghaus’ work, Cecil Alec Mace proposed the idea of using spaced repetition to improve retention in his 1932 book “Psychology of Study.” The principle is that instead of cramming, we should review new information at gradually increasing intervals that align with the forgetting curve. This helps cement connections in long-term memory.
The Leitner system brought this idea into practice through paper flashcards organized into groups based on how well you know them. More difficult cards get reviewed more frequently, while cards you know well get longer intervals between reviews. This physical system helped make spaced repetition more systematic and evidence-based.
Now in the digital age, software programs like Duolingo have enabled more precise spaced repetition by tailoring intervals individually based on performance data and feedback. Research continues to support the effectiveness of spaced repetition for vocabulary learning, medical knowledge, and more.
The core insights that Ebbinghaus, Mace and Leitner built on are fundamentally sound - that memory and forgetting follow biological patterns, and we can harness those patterns through thoughtfully timed review to enhance learning outcomes. Both analogue and digital implementations can help individuals efficiently improve retention and mastery.
Spaced repetition and specific learning disabilities
Given my own history and success with the technique, I find that spaced repetition is a helpful learning method for students with a specific learning disability (SLD) eligibility for IEP services. Here are some reasons why:
Spaced repetition takes advantage of the forgetting curve and helps strengthen connections in the brain over time. This caters well to those like me with SLDs who often struggle with memory and retaining information.
Breaking up studying into smaller chunks with spacing in between helps prevent cognitive overload, which is common for those with SLDs. The spacing also allows time for review and connections to solidify.
The concept of reviewing material right before it’s forgotten is very relevant for those with SLDs who tend to lose grasp of concepts quickly. Frequent spaced review helps cement concepts.
Active recall testing encourages retrieval practice, which helps encode memories and skills more effectively. This kind of active learning benefits those. with SLDs.
Spaced repetition is flexible and can be adapted to an individual’s pace and needs. The spacing and repetition can be adjusted to support the student's learning profile.
Diving deeper, spaced repetition aligns well with the learning needs of students with SLDs. SLDs often involve challenges with memory and retaining information over time. Spaced repetition caters directly to these difficulties by strengthening the brain's connections related to target material.
The forgetting curve demonstrated by Ebbinghaus shows that humans naturally forget newly learned information at an exponential rate if there is no effort to retain it. Connections in the brain essentially decay and weaken without reinforcement. Spaced repetition provides this reinforcement at strategic intervals so connections can solidify rather than be forgotten.
For students with conditions like dyslexia or dyspraxia that affect memory consolidation and retention, spaced repetition of content helps cement knowledge by accounting for the forgetting curve. Instead of cramming material all at once, smaller review sessions are spread out over time - right before the information is likely to slip away. This gradually embeds content more durably in long-term memory.
Customising the gaps between repetition sessions based on a student’s pace of forgetting allows for an individualised learning system. Close monitoring also allows spacing intervals to be continually optimised in line with evolving performance and needs. Implemented strategically, spaced repetition can thus help those with SLDs address major hurdles around memory and retention. The technique meaningfully improves learning capacity for those who struggle most in this area - like me.