Redoing missed questions: when, and how many times?
If a missed question is redone once right after the test and then forgotten, it is easy to miss it again a few weeks later. Spreading the redos out is what makes it stick.
Why spacing helps
Learning research has long shown that we forget quickly, and that recalling something just as it starts to fade makes it last longer. This is often called spaced repetition. Thirty minutes spread over several days usually beats thirty minutes in one sitting.
The same goes for missed questions. Redoing a problem right after reading the explanation is easy because the memory is fresh. Getting it right a few days later is the real sign it has been learned.
A schedule that works at home
| Round | When | How |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The day it is graded, or the next day | Read the explanation, write one line on why it was wrong, then solve it again without the explanation |
| 2 | About a week later | Solve only the missed questions on a cleaned copy of the test |
| 3 | About a month later, or a week before the next test | Focus on anything still missed in round 2 |
Doing all three rounds matters more than hitting exact dates. Put rounds 2 and 3 on the family calendar right away.
What to check in each round
- Round 1: Does your child know exactly why it went wrong? A calculation slip, a misread question and a missing concept each call for different practice.
- Round 2: Can they solve it without help? If not, go back to the textbook section on that concept.
- Round 3: Can they solve a similar problem? Add one or two related questions from the same unit.
Why a clean copy matters
On a sheet that still shows the answers, kids recall the answer instead of solving the problem. Grading marks also reveal which questions were wrong, which takes away the challenge. From round 2 on, use a copy with the answers and marks removed.
Worksheet Eraser turns a photo into a clean copy. See A mistake notebook that starts with one finished test for the full routine.
If your child seems worn out, cut the number of problems per round. Five problems done three times beats fifteen problems done once.