Test-enhanced learning in third-grade children

Several recent studies have shown that retrieval is more efficient than restudy in enhancing the long-term retention of memories. However, studies investigating this effect in children are still rare. Here, we report an experiment in which third-grade children initially read a brief encyclopaedic text twice and then either performed a cued recall test on selected target contents of the text or reread the same text twice. A final four-choice memory test about the text’s contents was administered to all children after seven days as well as tests measuring their IQ and reading skills. In the final four-choice memory test, children who took the initial cued recall test showed significantly greater performance in comparison with children who restudied the text twice (their responses were 87 and 53% correct, respectively). The results suggest that cued recall tests can elicit very robust testing effects in young children, even when complex, educationally relevant materials are used as stimuli.