Teachers actively support students to make connections within and across knowledge, skills and understanding as well as to prior learning experiences. Learning is a change to long term memory. Long term memory is a network of overlapping information with many connections (AERO 2024a), which are called schemas (CESE 2017). Making connections within and across learning helps students to develop increasingly complex mental models or schemas (AERO 2024b). There is no limit to how complex a schema may become (CESE 2017).

Schemas help manage cognitive load because they only occupy one 'space' in working memory, even though they may be infinitely complex.

Image adapted from Australian Education Research Organisation Limited (AERO) (2024c) Managing cognitive load optimises learning and licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Connecting learning is aligned with the ‘Significance’ Dimension of the Quality Teaching Model. The elements of ‘Background knowledge’, ‘Cultural knowledge’ and ‘Knowledge integration’ support students make connections in their learning to develop complex mental models or schema.

Strategy learning module

The Strategy learning module – Connecting learning (PPTX 13.4 MB):

• breaks down the strategy
• shows how the strategy can be applied using different techniques
• offers professional learning support for a whole-school approach to explicit teaching.

More information about how to implement this professional learning can be found in Leading explicit teaching.

Technique guides

Explicit teaching strategies are implemented in the classroom through a range of techniques that are intentionally selected by the teacher. These techniques are not an exhaustive list of every approach a teacher may use to implement this strategy. The technique guides provided support teachers to understand and apply the technique as part of their explicit teaching practice:

• Activating prior knowledge – technique guide (PDF 175 KB)
• Making meaningful connections through discussions – technique guide (PDF 150 KB)

What it isn’t

• Asking students to find or discover connections without teacher guidance.
• Creating/sharing every possible connection across all KLAs.
• Making references to previous activities students have completed without making clear how the learning from that activity is connected to new learning.
• Assuming students have retained prior knowledge.

Further resources

• Maths in schools podcast (11 August 2023) Explicit connections are made among related mathematical concepts.
• NSW Department of Education (2020) Significance – Quality Teaching Model.
• NSW Department of Education (2023) Making connections in English K–2.
• NSW Department of Education (2023) Making connections in Mathematics 3–6.