The Most Powerful Study Tool Your Child Isn’t Using: Practice Tests

Your child reads, re-reads and neatly copies out notes, and genuinely feels they know the material - so it is deflating when the exam result tells a different story. That comfortable sense of knowing is exactly the trap. Based on 'Make It Stick: The Science of Successful Learning', this article explains why 'retrieval practice' - and specifically sitting practice tests - is the single most powerful way to build deep, durable knowledge that holds up under the pressure of the Selective Test, OC test and NAPLAN.

The Illusion of Knowing

When an Australian student prepares for competitive exams like the Selective High School Placement Test, Opportunity Class (OC) test, NAPLAN, or scholarship exams, they often reach for their textbooks and highlighters. They read, re-read, and perhaps even copy out their notes. While these methods feel comfortable and productive, they are fundamentally flawed.

To understand why practice tests work, we must first understand why traditional study methods fail. When a child reads a chapter of a textbook multiple times, the text becomes highly familiar. The brain processes this fluency and tricks the student into believing they have mastered the material.

The authors of Make It Stick, cognitive scientists Henry L. Roediger III and Mark A. McDaniel, along with writer Peter C. Brown, refer to this dangerous phenomenon as the “illusion of knowing.”

Because the information is sitting right in front of them, the child assumes they will be able to recall it during the exam. However, as the authors note, “Learning is deeper and more durable when it’s effortful. Learning that’s easy is like writing in sand, here today and gone tomorrow.” When exam day arrives and the textbook is removed, the child suddenly discovers that familiarity is not the same as mastery. They struggle to retrieve the information from their memory.

The Power of Retrieval Practice

Retrieval practice is the antidote to the illusion of knowing. It is the act of actively recalling information from memory, rather than passively reviewing it. Every time a child forces their brain to retrieve a fact, a formula, or a concept without looking at the answer, they strengthen the neural pathways associated with that memory.

The authors explain the profound impact of this process: “The act of retrieving learning from memory has two profound benefits: It tells you what you know and don’t know, and it strengthens the memory of what you know.”

Taking a practice test is the ultimate form of retrieval practice. When a child sits down to complete a timed, realistic exam paper, they are forced to search their memory for the correct information. This effortful struggle is precisely what cements the knowledge in their long-term memory. It is a “desirable difficulty” that produces far better results than easy, passive reading.

Calibration: Knowing What You Actually Know

Beyond strengthening memory, practice tests serve another critical function: calibration. Calibration is the process of accurately assessing one’s own knowledge. Humans, including children, are notoriously poor judges of their own competence.

When a child relies on re-reading, they have no objective measure of their understanding. A practice test provides immediate, unvarnished feedback. It strips away the illusion of knowing and reveals exactly which concepts the child has mastered and which areas require further study.

This objective feedback is invaluable for Australian students preparing for the OC or Selective tests. It allows them to focus their limited study time on their actual weaknesses, rather than wasting hours reviewing material they already know.

How to Use Practice Tests Effectively

To harness the full power of retrieval practice, parents should encourage their children to use practice tests strategically:

• Start Early: Practice tests should be used frequently and early in the preparation process, not just in the final weeks before the exam. They should be treated as a learning tool, not just an assessment tool.
• Try Before Studying: Even if a child has not finished studying a topic, attempting a practice test on that material (a concept known as generation) primes the brain to absorb the information more effectively when they do study it.
• Simulate Real Conditions: The practice tests must be realistic. They should mimic the format, difficulty, and time constraints of the actual exam. This helps reduce test anxiety by making the exam environment feel familiar. For more insights on managing test stress, read our article on Boys and Exam Anxiety: How to Support Your Son’s Emotional Health During Test Preparation.
• Review Mistakes: The most crucial step occurs after the practice test is finished. Students must carefully review their mistakes. This reflection process ensures that they learn from their errors and do not repeat them on the actual exam day.

Integrating Retrieval Practice with TestMagic

At TestMagic, we understand the science of successful learning. Our online platform provides Australian students with access to realistic, timed practice tests designed specifically for the Selective Test, OC test, and NAPLAN.

By incorporating TestMagic practice tests into your child’s study routine, you are directly applying the principles of retrieval practice and calibration outlined in Make It Stick. You are moving them away from the illusion of knowing and toward genuine, durable mastery.

To learn more about how to structure your child’s study schedule using evidence-based methods, explore our next article: Why Cramming Doesn’t Work — And How Spaced Study Beats It Every Time.