Knowledge Organisers

What is a knowledge organiser?

Knowledge organisers are books that set out the important, useful and powerful knowledge of a single topic on one page. They contain the key facts or concepts for each topic being studied which pupils are expected to memorise.

What do knowledge organisers aim to achieve?

Researchers have highlighted the importance of strong and fluent background knowledge in order to build further knowledge and to complete higher-order tasks, such as analysis. Knowledge organisers not only help to make the schema to be learned crystal clear for pupils, but allows teachers to have meaningful conversations about the key content and threshold concepts in their subjects.

When used effectively, Knowledge Organisers are useful in:

Helping build a foundation of factual knowledge.
Embedding revision techniques for now and future studies (A-Level, College, University)
Allowing knowledge to become stored in long term memory which frees up working memory for more complex ideas. It also allows you to connect concepts together, even across subjects

How are knowledge organisers used?

As part of The Science of Learning, knowledge organisers allow for retrieval practice to be practised (see page 3 of the knowledge organiser book). Retrieval practice is the act of recalling learned information from memory and every time that information is retrieved, or answer is generated, it changes that original memory and makes it stronger.

At Trinity, retrieval practice techniques are modelled to pupils during Family Group sessions once a week. The previous week’s independent work is monitored.

How often should they be used?

Pupils in years 7-9 (term 1 only) are expected to complete 20 minutes of knowledge organiser independent practice as part of their home learning each night. Home learning activities set on Microsoft Teams will test the retention of this knowledge and will allow pupils to focus on different areas of improvement.

Pupils in years 10-11 are expected to use the knowledge organisers as a further revision tool and complete retrieval practice techniques as part of their home learning across all subjects.

New knowledge organisers are issued to pupils in years 7, 8 and 9 (term 1 only) at the start of each term. Replacements can be purchased at school or downloaded via the PDF links below.

For more information about knowledge organisers or retrieval practice techniques please watch the short guidance videos below.

Please do contact your child's Family Group Leader if you have any questions about knowledge organisers or home learning at Trinity.

VIDEO - What are Knowledge Organisers?

Watch the video below to find out more about the science behind knowledge organisers and how they are used at Trinity.

You have not allowed cookies and this content may contain cookies.

If you would like to view this content please

RETRIEVAL PRACTICE TECHNIQUES

Retrieval practice is a strategy of converting information taught in lessons from short term memory to long term memory through the bringing of information to mind and increasing learning. Recalling information forces us to pull knowledge previously learnt and to examine what we know. This process is what cognitive scientists refer to as retrieval practice as the ''testing effect'' and is the active process that students engage in to boost learning.

See some of the techniques that we are using at Trinity below (these are also in page 2 of the Knowledge Organiser) with 'how to ......' videos.