Sep 2 / by The Learning Liaisons

Learning Strategies for Achieving Classroom Success in 2024

Learning strategies are approaches to learning that help students retain and use the material. Learning strategies are integral to student engagement in the classroom, which usually leads to greater academic success. 

Most teachers know a few learning strategies - and some of them come quite naturally. However, often teachers get stuck in a bit of a rut and look for ways to shake up their classroom. The learning strategies listed here can help you do that. We'll look at a wide variety of options for your classroom and how to implement them appropriately for the biggest payoff

What are Learning Strategies?

According to Top Hat, learning strategies are defined as "operations and actions that students use in order to optimize the processes of obtaining and storing information and course concepts." But it's important to remember that everyone learns differently, and because of that, every teacher should be prepared to use more than one strategy and pay careful attention to which students respond to the different options they use. For instance, a student who is excellent with visual learning might not take well to giving oral presentations, while another who is great at hands-on work might become frustrated with too much reading. 

As you go through these learning strategies, think about the students in your classroom who might use them the most. The key is to know which strategy to use, when to use it, and who can benefit the most from it. 

Let's take a look at the learning strategies your classroom needs this year. 

Types of Learning Strategies

There are dozens of learning strategies that are proven effective in the classroom setting. Which of these resonates with you?

1. Individual Learning Strategy

This particular strategy is exactly what it sounds like. For students with strong motivation and self-discipline, working on their own as they figure out the material can be the best way to go. This learning strategy means that the teacher becomes a guide, ready to help the student when they get mired down in areas of the content that they don't understand. 

These students can map their own way to mastery of the information; they just need you around to help ensure they are on the right track.

2. Center Learning Strategy

Learning stations or learning centers can allow a student to focus on one aspect of education at a time, narrowing their attention down to a particular area for a limited period of time. Centers are common in preschools, where students have very short attention spans but the ability to move quickly from one interest to another. Learning stations or centers might include those that focus on math, biology, chemistry, and the like. These can be modified for older students and adult learners to focus on one core concept for a short period of time before moving on to the next.

3. Spaced Learning Strategy

This strategy allows the student to rest for a short time between periods of intense study. For example, a module might be the sole focus for two or three sessions, but then there is a break from it in the fourth session to work on something entirely different. That little break allows the mind to rest and the subconscious to work on retaining what was learned. 

Many teachers find that their students are refreshed and ready to tackle the more difficult subjects again after a well-structured break. Knowing that you get a break from a challenging topic is like looking forward to a vacation; you tend to be more energetic about getting the work done.

4. Summarizing Learning Strategy

This strategy encourages students to repeat back what they have just heard in their own words. A good example is listening to a ten-minute lecture and then taking a few minutes to repeat it back, whether by speaking or writing it down, to ensure that all the high points are clear and nothing is confusing. By summarizing and repeating what they learned, the student can show early mastery of the subject matter and prevent being overwhelmed by it. 

5. Reciprocal Questioning

This strategy involves dividing students up into pairs or small groups and letting them go over the material together, coming up with questions that will advance their understanding. The students ask questions of the teacher, and the teacher answers; then the roles switch, and the teacher asks questions of the students. The result is a deeper understanding of the material and a better approach to asking the right questions to find the correct answers.

6. Pause Procedure

This is similar to the spaced learning strategy in that breaks are scheduled during the learning with for students who need a moment to digest all the information they have just received. Most teachers will lecture or teach a subject for 10 to 15 minutes and then give the student a three-minute break, during which the student will think over the information they just learned and present any questions they might have. The pause allows everyone to get on the same page and take a moment to ask about whatever might be unclear before moving on to additional content.

7. Role-playing Learning Strategy

This strategy is exactly what it sounds like, where students take on various roles that represent what they are learning and engage in a role-play that mimics a real-life situation. For instance, a higher education student in sales might role play a salesperson while another student role role plays an annoyed customer. Not only does this help students apply what they learn in the classroom to real day-to-day life, it also provides them with the opportunity to spot the flaws in their arguments and think on their feet.

8. Game-Based Learning Strategy

Games have long been proven as a way to help a person retain information and recall it again whenever they need to do so. These games can include puzzles, interactive computer games, pop quizzes where everyone in class gets one question, bingo games that require figuring out problems, and so much more. The options for games in the classroom are absolutely endless.

9. Elaboration Learning Strategy

This strategy takes related facts and looks at the differences and similarities between them, leading to deeper thinking about the topic, critical analysis, and diving into more research. As a facilitator of this strategy, the teacher's job is to ask the questions that nudge the student into understanding the material, thoroughly explaining any key points that they are having trouble with, and helping them move into the right direction for research.

10. Brainstorm Learning Strategy

This learning strategy has been around for decades and is proven to bring bright ideas to the forefront. As the teacher, your job is to stand at the front of the classroom and gently lead the discussion, but more importantly, to take notes: As students begin to talk and throw out ideas, it's your job to write those down. As the board begins to fill up with wonderful ideas, students will come up with even more, and you might find a profound breakthrough follows a powerful brainstorming session as students grasp the material in an entirely different way.

11. Group Discussions

This strategy is simple on the surface: Give students the information they need, whether through reading a passage, watching videos, listening to lectures, and the like. Then release them to discuss the topics on their own, bouncing ideas off one another. These discussions might take the form of debates, where one side is pressing for the other side to accept their explanations. Or they might lead to deeper areas of the topic, requiring the teacher to step in and direct the conversation with even further information. 

12. Crossover Learning Strategy

It starts in the classroom but moves to somewhere else - that's the power of the crossover strategy, which often serves as a way to take theoretical concepts into the real world with practical applications. Crossover learning strategy might mean discussing space exploration with students, then taking a field trip to a museum or space camp where they can put what they have learned into action. This has been around for a long time, as many seasoned teachers and former students can tell you how much they learned from field trips!

13. Incidental Learning Strategy

Incidental learning is strongly led by the student. It involves looking at things that naturally drive and interest the student and using those as teaching lessons. Quite often used in Applied Behavioral Analysis, this learning strategy allows the student to show you what they are interested in, which in turn allows you to create lessons around those interests. For example, someone who loves shopping might set the ideal stage for lessons on math, while someone who enjoys travel might like to learn about physics, speed, and gravity.

14. Embodied Learning Strategy

This learning strategy is great for students who need a physical element to learn at their best. A good example of this is working on a foreign language in the classroom: One person starts off the conversation with a basic hello and tosses a bean bag to another person, who is expected to respond and keep the conversation going. This can lead to more memorable learning as well as a welcome touch of hilarity! 

Some students do this on their own naturally - think about the students who prefer to study by listening to lectures as they go for a jog or otherwise do something physically active.

15. Adaptive Teaching

This sort of teaching drills down into the skills and potential of each student. Teachers look at the student's grades, what their interests are, how well they are doing in the classroom, and will adjust their personalized education plan accordingly. Though this works very well for students who need extra help, it can work well for anyone who learns a little differently. 

16. Active Learning Strategy

The majority of these strategies are considered active learning. Active learning strategies refer to anything that engages the student beyond simply reading the text or listening to a lecture. By encouraging collaboration among peers, reflection on the material, and finding ways to apply it to real-world situations, active learning provides students with a deeper grasp of the material.

17. Context-Based Learning Strategy

When a teacher brings real-world situations into the classroom, they move from theoretical learning to practical application. That's context-based learning, where students have a more hands-on experience with the material than simply reading about it in a book. A good example of this is in biology class, when a student might be asked to interact with a substance, dissect a creature they are learning about, or run hands-on experiments on a variety of elements, such as water or earth.

18. Personalized Learning Strategy

This sort of learning strategy often works best in small classrooms, where the teacher's focus is on only a few students. By creating a personalized plan for each student and setting milestones and guidelines along the way, you can try out different strategies to find the one that works best. Students with a personalized learning plan can also engage with you to let you know which parts are working and which are not. Over time, that plan is honed and success becomes the norm.

How to Choose?

Remember that most learning strategies overlap nicely, so you don't necessarily have to choose just one. And if you find that a particular learning strategy just isn't working, feel free to pivot to something else. Most teachers wind up with a hodge-podge of what works for them - and the next year, that might change as another group of students brings new ideas and challenges to the classroom. 

The connection a student forges with a student can be a strong indicator of that student's success. Learn to better connect with your students and figure out what they need by trying out new learning strategies. Seeing your students blossom when you touch on the right path for them is an indescribable feeling!