Forgetting - an important part of the learning process

Every student knows the feeling: you did learn something… and then weeks later it’s gone. Parents see it too - a child who understood fractions in March suddenly can’t remember them in September.

This isn’t laziness. It isn’t a lack of effort. It’s simply how the brain works.

The science: we forget faster than we think we do

Back in 1885, psychologist Hermann Ebbinghaus discovered something important: our brains naturally forget new information unless we revisit it. His “forgetting curve” shows that memory drops quickly after learning, then continues to fade more slowly over time.

This is why:

• A topic learned in May can feel brand new in September

• Students lose confidence after long breaks

• Revision feels harder when it’s left too late

And it’s also why the long summer holiday can undo months of progress — especially in subjects like maths, languages, and science.

But here’s the good news: forgetting isn’t a failure. It’s a signal.   It tells us when to revisit something so it sticks for good.

The key question is how to address this fact in order to improve remembering.

Why forgetting isn’t the enemy

Forgetting actually helps learning - as long as students catch it early enough.

When a learner tries to recall something that’s starting to fade, the brain has to work harder. That effort strengthens the memory, making it more durable next time.

As cognitive scientist Daniel Willingham puts it: “Memory is the residue of thought.”   The more deeply a student thinks about something, the stronger the memory becomes.

How students can stop losing learning

Here are the three habits that make the biggest difference, especially over long breaks like summer.

1. Think hard at the time of learning

Learning sticks when students actively think, not when they passively listen or highlight.

This means:

• Explaining a concept in their own words

• Doing a few practice questions straight away

• Spotting patterns or links

• Asking “why does this work?”

The deeper the thinking, the stronger the memory cue.

2. Test yourself before you forget too much

This is the single most powerful strategy.

Students should:

• Try a quick recall quiz

• Write down everything they remember about a topic

• Use flashcards

• Do a short past‑paper question

The key is timing: don’t wait until everything has faded. A little forgetting is good, too much forgetting means starting again.

3. Space out practice (especially over summer)

Spacing means revisiting topics at intervals, not cramming.

For example:

• A quick review a few days after learning

• Another review a week later

• A short check‑in a month later

• A light top‑up over the summer

  
  

This stops the “summer slide” — the well‑documented drop in knowledge after long breaks. Even 10–15 minutes a week over the summer can protect months of learning.

What parents can do

You don’t need to reteach the curriculum. You just need to help your child revisit what they already know.

Simple ways to help:

• Ask them to explain one thing they learned this week

• Encourage short, regular practice instead of long sessions

• Use apps or flashcards for quick recall

• Keep maths, reading, or languages ticking over during holidays

• Celebrate effort, not perfection

These tiny habits prevent the big September confidence crash.

When extra support helps

If a student has forgotten too much, they often need a boost to rebuild understanding quickly. This is where high‑quality tutoring — one‑to‑one or small group — makes a real difference.

A tutor can:

• Identify exactly what’s been forgotten

• Rebuild the missing steps

• Strengthen understanding with targeted practice

• Teach recall strategies that last

It’s not about doing more work — it’s about doing the right work at the right time.

The big message

Forgetting is normal. Remembering is a skill. And students can learn to manage both. With a little spaced practice, some honest self‑testing, and a focus on thinking deeply, learners can hold onto knowledge for the long term — not just until the next test.

Read our previous article here:

www.tutortaylor.com

We can't afford to lose focus

Why Focus Matters More Than Hours for Real Learning and RevisionWe’ve all seen it, and probably done it ourselves. A student sits at their desk for an entire afternoon, surrounded by a mountain of textbooks and a rainbow of highlighters. By dinner time, they’re exhausted. They feel like they’ve worked incredibly hard, yet when you ask what they actually remember, you get a worried blank stare.This is what I call Performative Studying. It looks like work and feels like work, but it isn’t actually

Cate is a qualified teacher with over 20 years of classroom experience and now specialises in French and Spanish tutoring for both adults and students. She teaches online and face to face, supporting learners from the New Forest, across the UK, and internationally — including Spain, Switzerland, France, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia and the UAE.

She offers GCSE, iGCSE, IB, A‑Level, beginner and adult‑learner French and Spanish lessons, with a strong track record of helping students build confidence and long‑term language skills. While Cate has a waiting list for peak UK after‑school hours, she often has availability for adult learners during the day and for students in Hong Kong and other international time zones who need flexible, high‑quality language tuition.