Using flashcards…

…for active recall.

Hello all. Welcome to the 180th edition of TEPS Weekly!

A few months ago, we had written about the features of a good Teaching-Learning Material (TLM). In today’s edition, we write about a specific type of TLM – the flashcard. Is a flashcard just a piece of paper with a picture on it? Is it something more? How can it be created well, and how can it be used to its full potential? We dive into what the research says about this.

How are flashcards usually used?

Teachers often use flashcards for the initial teaching of information. For example, an LKG teacher may use flashcards to introduce numerals and number names. A Grade 3 teacher may use flashcards to talk about the parts of a plant. A Grade 7 teacher may use flashcards to explain the layers of the atmosphere.

Many students may also independently create and use flashcards for revision before an exam. For example, a Grade 8 student may create her own flashcards with the formulae for the area and volume of different 3D shapes for quick revision before a Maths exam.

How can flashcards be used to their full potential?

We will not focus on using flashcards for teaching or for independent revision. We will focus on the use of flashcards by the teacher in the days and weeks after the initial teaching of information, to ensure that students actively recall or retrieve newly-learnt information from their long-term memory. First, study this graph, called the forgetting curve:

We had written about the forgetting curve and the role of active recall in an earlier edition of this newsletter. To summarise: 

• Active recall is the act of retrieving information from our long-term memory without looking at a book or reading information in some other way. 

• The forgetting curve shows that newly-learnt information fades quickly unless students actively recall it. 

Each round of active recall strengthens memory and slows forgetting, making learning more durable over time. Flashcards are a very useful TLM for such active recall of information. Why is this so?

1. They make students actively recall information before seeing the answer: Students first respond to a question, word, image or cue on the front of the card, instead of simply rereading information. (This works only if the flashcards are created well.)

2. They provide immediate feedback: Once students have tried to recall the answer, the card can be turned over so they can immediately check whether they were correct. (This, too, works only if the flashcards are created well.)

3. They make repeated recall easy: The same cards can be revisited over days and weeks, allowing students to repeatedly recall information and strengthen their memory over time. (And this works if the flashcards are used well.)

4. They make recall quick and low-stakes: A few flashcards can be used for a short recall activity without marks or grades. This keeps the activity low-stress, so students can focus on remembering and learning rather than worrying about being tested.

How can we create flashcards well?

A good flashcard needs to work in two ways. It needs to be physically easy to see, handle and reuse in the classroom. It also needs to contain information in a way that makes recall clear and manageable for students.

Checklist 1: Is the flashcard physically well-made?

In most classrooms in India, flashcards may be used with a large group of students and handled many times. So, they need to be large, clear and sturdy, using materials that are easily available.

1. Is it large enough to see? For whole-class use, make the flashcard around A4 size. This helps all students, especially those at the back, see the flashcard clearly.

2. Is the writing large and dark? Use a thick black or dark-coloured font and large letters. Students at the back of the classroom should be able to read the card easily.

3. Is the card strong enough to be reused?

   Paste paper or chart paper onto old cardboard, such as an old box, to make the card stronger.

4. Are the edges protected?

   Put clear tape around the edges so that the card does not tear or fray after repeated use.
   

   

   
   

5. Can the cards be stored and found easily?Keep each set together in a large labelled envelope or box. This makes it easier to reuse the same cards over days and weeks. 

Checklist 2: Is the flashcard academically well-made?

A flashcard should not become a mini textbook page. Its job is to give students a clear cue that makes them recall one piece of information from memory. Keeping each card focused also makes it easier for the teacher to see exactly what students can and cannot recall.

1. Does each card focus on one idea? Put one small piece of information on each card. If students need to remember three different facts, make three cards rather than putting everything on one. Example: Instead of one card about all the parts of a flower, make separate cards for petal, sepal and stamen.

2. Is there a clear prompt on the front? The front should tell students exactly what they need to recall. It could contain a question, word, picture or fill-in-the-blank sentence.  Example: Front: What is the process by which water changes into water vapour?

3. Is the answer short and clear? Put the answer on the back so that students can check it quickly. Avoid long explanations. Example: Back: Evaporation.

4. Does the card focus on something students actually need to learn? Choose key words, facts, definitions, formulae or concepts that connect directly to what students are learning.

5. Would a simple picture or symbol make the idea clearer? Add a simple drawing or diagram when it helps students connect the word with its meaning. Keep it relevant rather than decorative. Example: A card for evaporation could show water with small arrows moving upwards.
   

   

How can we use flashcards well?

Creating good flashcards is only the first step. To strengthen memory, students need to actively recall the answer, check it, and return to the same information again over time. There are two aspects of flashcard use that we need to keep in mind – one, what routine to follow while using flashcards; two, planning and spacing out the use of flashcards over many days and weeks for active recall of a topic once it has been taught.

A simple classroom routine teachers can use is: SHOW → THINK → ANSWER → REVEAL → CHECK → REVISIT

1. Show students the front / prompt side of the flashcard, but do not reveal the answer yet.

2. Give students a few seconds to try to recall the answer from memory. This thinking time is important — do not flip the card too quickly.

3. Ask every student to answer. They can say the answer, write it in their notebook, or write it on a slate or small piece of paper.

4. Turn the flashcard over and reveal the correct answer.

5. Ask students to check their answer against the correct one and fix any mistake immediately.

6. Revisit or bring the same cards back after a gap of time – for example, the next day, the next week and again later. Shuffle the cards each time so students recall each answer independently rather than remembering the order.

For the longer term, teachers should plan when to bring each card back, rather than using the whole set every time. The forgetting curve tells us that newly-learnt information can fade quickly, so cards should first be revisited soon after teaching, and then again after longer gaps.

For example, if you teach evaporation on Monday, use the flashcards again on Tuesday for a quick recall. Bring them back later in the same week, and then again the following week. Each time, mix these cards with a few cards from other recently taught topics. If students struggle with a card, keep bringing it back more often; if they recall it easily several times, leave a longer gap before using it again. This way, the teacher uses flashcards to revisit learning just as it begins to fade, helping students strengthen their memory through repeated active recall.

A note on making flashcards easier to create

Creating a large set of flashcards can take time, but teachers do not have to make every card by hand. Canva or AI image-generation tools can help create simple pictures, diagrams and ready-to-print card layouts, which teachers can then adapt to their lesson. Students can also help create flashcards for topics they have learnt by writing the prompt on one side and the answer on the other. This not only reduces the teacher’s workload, but can also give students a stronger sense of ownership of the learning material.

Have you used flashcards in your classroom for active recall and revision? We would love to hear from and learn from you. Write back to us at info@things-education.com with your experiences, tips and expert inputs about flashcard use!

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Edition: 5.35