Three Benefits of Spiral Reviews in the Classroom

There seems to always be an argument in the education community about the best way to help students retain information. Based on over a decade of teaching experience, I fully support using spiral reviews in the math classroom. 

I use spiral reviews as warm-ups for my students to complete while I take attendance before the start of the lesson. My students know the procedure for completing their 2 problems for the day: start working on your review as soon as the bell rings, you have 7 minutes to complete the 2 problems, and ask your neighbor for help before you ask me.

After several attempts over just as many years at other types of warm ups, I switched to spiraling the content as my bell ringer. I saw tremendous growth in my students' retention the first year I used spiral reviews, which also translated to higher end-of-course and state exam scores. 

So, let's dive into the benefits I think spiral reviews had on my students: reinforcement of previously learned concepts, continuous skill development, and increase in long-term retention.

Reinforcement of Previously Learned Concepts

I designed my spiral reviews for students regularly revisit and practice previous concepts, including the essential skills taught in previous grades. By consistently reviewing older material and learning new topics, students reinforce their understanding and retention of foundational concepts. This approach helps prevent knowledge gaps and promotes a deeper understanding of mathematical concepts over time. This strategy also provides students who struggled with previous concepts another opportunity for success.

Continuous Skill Development

Spiral reviews allow students to continuously develop and apply their skills as they encounter familiar topics in new contexts. By revisiting skills presented as new concepts and incorporating them into higher order thinking (HOT) questions, students gain a deeper understanding of how mathematical concepts connect. This approach fosters critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the ability to apply mathematical knowledge to real-world situations. As I previously stated, I fully believe this is why my students showed improvement on their end-of-course and state exams.

Long-Term Retention

When my students regularly reviewed content in a spiral manner, their long-term retention improved. When students revisit previous material, they strengthen their memory and increase their ability to recall information when needed. This systematic approach to review helps transfer knowledge from short-term to long-term memory, supporting students' overall mastery of mathematical concepts.

If you are looking for practical ways to implement spiral reviews, check out my other post The Best Method of Review to Increase Student Retention. I also include 2 weeks of the spirals I used in my Algebra 1 class.

If you would like a FREE week's review for Quarter 1, click here (no email required).

If you would like a FREE week's review for Quarter 3, click here (no email required).

If you would like a year of spiral reviews, click here (no email required).