We all know the mantra “practice makes perfect,” but did you know that sloppy practice can actually prevent skill mastery?
Effective practice requires precision!
Precise practice entails the following:
- Complex skills must be broken down into components
- Curriculum materials must be designed to isolate and target each component
- Practice must be timed
- Corrects and errors must be counted during the timing
- Immediate feedback must be provided after each practice timing
- Correct and error counts must be plotted on learning charts
- Charts must be evaluated over time to determine if the practice is effective
The figure above reflects a standard Learning Chart that we use to evaluate the effectiveness of our learners’ practice on essential academic skills. The ‘Dots’ are corrects, ‘Xs’ are errors, and highlighted sections are the mastery goals for corrects and errors. The lines through each data series show the trends over time, with corrects increasing and errors decreasing.
This chart indicates that the practice we have designed for this learner is effectively increasing accuracy and speed while decreasing errors. Thus, we can be confident that the learner will master this skill.
The figure above shows a different learning picture than the previous chart. In the first phase, corrects and errors are ‘bouncy,’ meaning the learner shows high variability in their performance. The trend for corrects is a flat line, indicating that the practice we designed is not improving their speed and accuracy. Thus, we made instructional changes that improved the learner’s performance and led to their achievement of the mastery goal for corrects and errors.
Without precision built into practice, learners can actually practice the WRONG way, leading to bad habits and barriers to mastery. Let’s get some precision built into your child’s practice routine!