🔀 What is Interleaving?
A learning strategy where you mix different topics or problem types within a single study session instead of studying one topic completely before moving on.
🧠 Enhanced Discrimination
Mixing topics forces your brain to actively distinguish between concepts and choose appropriate strategies, strengthening understanding and improving long-term retention significantly.
💪 Desirable Difficulty
Interleaving feels harder during practice but produces superior learning outcomes. The initial struggle enhances encoding and memory consolidation compared to easier blocked practice.
📐 Optimal Application Areas
Most effective for mathematics, sciences, language learning, and motor skills. Works best when learners need to distinguish between similar problem types or conceptual categories.
⚖️ Blocking vs Interleaving
Blocked practice (AAABBBCCC) feels easier but produces weaker retention. Interleaved practice (ABCABCABC) feels challenging but yields stronger performance on delayed tests and novel problems.
🎯 Implementation Strategy
Mix three to five related topics per session. Spend 10-15 minutes on each before switching. Return to each topic multiple times throughout the session.
📊 Research-Backed Results
Studies show interleaving can improve test performance by 25-50% compared to blocked practice. Benefits increase over time, with strongest effects appearing on retention tests.