What Is Blocked Practice & How To Use It In Revision

With exam season being one of the most stressful times of the academic year, being armed with a range of revision strategies well in advance is a great idea. If you’re currently investigating different revision techniques, chances are that blocked practice has popped up on your radar. 

But what is blocked practice revision? Our comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know, meaning you can add it to your GCSE or A Level revision timetable at the right time and for maximum impact.

Key Takeaways

• Blocked practice means focusing on one topic or skill at a time during revision sessions.

• It builds confidence with new material but may create a false sense of mastery.

• It is best used when learning difficult content for the first time, before switching to mixing topics.

• Combine with active recall and spaced repetition for maximum effectiveness.

What Is Blocked Practice Revision?

Blocked practice is a revision technique where you focus on one topic, skill, or type of problem at a time. Instead of jumping between different subjects or concepts, you "block" your time to work on just one area.

For example, if you're revising maths, blocked practice means doing twenty algebra questions in a row without any other maths concepts creeping into your revision slot. That means not mixing in any geometry or statistics problems during that session.

Revising using this method is the opposite of interleaving, where you deliberately mix different topics together. With blocked practice, you stick to one thing until you feel confident, then move on to the next topic.

The Science Behind Blocked Practice

Blocked practice can feel incredibly productive in the moment. You'll notice yourself getting faster and making fewer mistakes as you work through similar problems. This can feel very positive, and you’ll believe that you’re making real revision progress.

However, there’s a catch. The improvement that you quickly feel in retaining knowledge, facts, or concepts might not stick around for long. There’s a lot of academic research (opens in a new tab) that shows that blocked practice creates what psychologists call "retrieval strength". This means that you can remember information easily right now, but it doesn't always build strong "storage strength" for long-term memory.

The fluency you develop during blocked practice can fade quickly. This is why you might feel confident after a focused revision session, only to struggle with the same topic a few days later during an exam.

Benefits of Blocked Practice in Revision

You needn’t avoid blocked practice altogether. You just need to know when to apply it. It has some real advantages, especially when you're starting to learn new material.

• Builds confidence quickly. When you're tackling a difficult topic for the first time, blocked practice helps you feel more capable. This confidence boost can motivate you to keep going.

• Reinforces basic understanding. Before you can mix topics together effectively, you need a solid foundation of key concepts. Blocked practice helps cement these.

• Perfect for step-by-step processes. Some subjects require you to memorise specific procedures. Blocked practice excels at drilling these sequences into your memory.

• Reduces cognitive overload. When learning something completely new, your brain needs time to process without distractions from other topics.

Limitations of Blocked Practice

While these benefits seem great, blocked practice has some significant drawbacks you need to know about.

• Creates false confidence. The fluency you develop might not transfer to exam conditions where topics are mixed together.

• Weaker long-term retention. Information learned through blocked practice often fades faster than material learned through other techniques.

• Can become boring. Doing the same type of problem repeatedly can lead to mental fatigue and disengagement.

• Doesn't reflect real exams. Most exams test multiple topics in one paper, so blocked practice doesn't prepare you for this reality.

How To Use Blocked Practice in Revision

Blocked practice isn’t all bad news. The key to effective blocked practice is knowing when and how to use it strategically. Let’s take a look:

• Start with blocked practice for new topics. When you first encounter difficult material, use blocked practice to build your initial understanding. Chunking time to go over something unfamiliar will help it stick.

• Keep sessions focused but limited. Spend 30-45 minutes on one topic maximum. Any longer and you risk not seeing the returns.

• Transition to mixing topics. Once you feel more confident, don’t keep using blocked practice at the expense of other revision techniques and your other subjects that also need revising. Gradually introduce other topics into your revision sessions. This is called interleaving, and it's more effective for long-term retention. For a deeper dive into this revision technique, check out our Interleaving Study Method Guide.

Here's a practical example for Biology revision:

Week 1: Use blocked practice to focus only on photosynthesis. Do nothing but photosynthesis questions and notes to nail the key concepts and steps in the process.

Week 2: Start mixing photosynthesis with respiration questions. This use of the interleaving technique will help you retain both photosynthesis and respiration knowledge, building strong “storage strength”. This means you can draw on this information during your exam because of solid long-term memory.

Examples of Blocked Practice in Different Subjects

Maths

Focus on one type of maths problem at a time. For example, spend an entire session working through quadratic equation problems before moving on to simultaneous equations.

Science

Concentrate on single processes or concepts. You might dedicate a whole revision session to understanding what mitosis involves without touching any other biology topics.

Languages

Whether you’re studying Chinese or French, work on specific grammar rules in isolation. For example, spend time practising only past tense verb conjugations before introducing other tenses.

History

Study one historical event or case study completely before moving to another time period. Master the causes of World War I before tackling World War II.

Blocked Practice vs Interleaving

Interleaving is the opposite approach to blocked practice. With interleaving, you are deliberately mixing different topics and question types within the same revision session.

Blocked practice makes you feel more confident in the short term, but may not prepare you well for exams.

Interleaving can feel more difficult and frustrating, but typically leads to better long-term retention and exam performance.

When to use blocked practice: Learning new, difficult material for the first time.

When to use interleaving: Preparing for exams and strengthening long-term memory.

Both blocked practice and interleaving have their places in your revision toolbox. The most effective revision strategy combines both techniques strategically.

5 Tips for Effective Blocked Practice

1. Use active recall, not passive reading. Don't just re-read your notes. Information won’t stick this way. Instead, test yourself using active recall by covering up answers and trying to remember key information.

2. Set strict time limits. Use a timer of 30-45 minutes to prevent sessions from dragging on too long. This maintains focus and prevents boredom.

3. Combine with spaced repetition. Return to blocked topics after increasing intervals (1 day, 3 days, 1 week) to strengthen memory.

4. Plan your transition to interleaving. Don't get stuck in blocked practice mode. Gradually introduce topic mixing as your confidence grows.

5. Monitor your actual understanding. Regularly test yourself on mixed questions to check if your blocked practice is actually building lasting knowledge.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use blocked practice instead of interleaving?

Use blocked practice when you're learning completely new material or struggling with a particularly difficult concept. Blocked practice can boost your confidence but it’s important not to rely on this technique alone. Once you've built basic competence, switch to interleaving for better exam preparation.

Can I revise my whole subject using only blocked practice?

No, this isn't recommended. While blocked practice is useful for initial learning, you'll need to mix topics together to prepare effectively for exams. Most exam papers test multiple areas within the same questions.

Does blocked practice work for essay subjects?

Yes, but differently. You might focus on one historical period, one type of literary analysis, or one geographical case study at a time. However, essay subjects still benefit greatly from interleaving different themes and examples.

Mix It Up for Success

Blocked practice definitely has its place in your revision toolkit. But the most effective revision happens when you mix things up. Combine blocked practice with other techniques to create a well-rounded approach that really works. 

If you’re ready to supercharge your revision, make your study sessions even more effective with these brilliant resources from Save My Exams:

Flashcards: Perfect for quick, active recall practice on the go.

Revision notes: Clear, concise summaries that break down complex topics.

Past exam papers: The ultimate way to test your knowledge under real conditions.

Remember, start with blocked practice to build your foundation, then branch out to create a revision routine that keeps your brain engaged and your knowledge rock-solid.

References

Interleaved practice benefits research - NIH (opens in a new tab)