Dual coding is a cognitive science principle that explains how people can effectively learn by combining verbal and visual information. This helps to create a lasting memory of the material being learned as it strengthens connections between words and images. By using this principle, teachers can provide students with a more effective learning experience by presenting information through both verbal and visual channels.

1. Use visual and verbal explanations together: You can use both visual and verbal explanations when teaching a concept to your A-level students. This is called dual coding, and research has shown that this approach can help students to better remember and understand new concepts. For example, if you are teaching Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’, you could use a visual diagram of the plot structure as well as verbal explanations of the characters’ motivations and relationships.

2. Provide a range of media: You can provide students with a range of media types to help them learn, such as illustrations, diagrams, videos, and audio recordings. This helps to engage students in multiple ways and encourages them to process the information in a range of formats. For example, if you are teaching a lesson about the history of mathematics, you can provide your students with a timeline graphic, a short video about the history of mathematics, and a podcast discussing the key mathematicians in history.

3. Combine visual and audio cues: You can also combine visual and audio cues to help your students learn more effectively. By providing both visual and audio cues, students can better encode and store the information in their memories. For example, if you are teaching a lesson about the French Revolution, you could provide a visual timeline of the key events, as well as an audio recording of the text being read aloud for students to listen to.

4. Use a mixture of teaching styles: You can use a mixture of teaching styles, such as lecture, discussion, and group work, to help your students learn more effectively. This helps to engage students in multiple ways and encourages them to process the information in a range of ways. For example, if you are teaching a lesson about economic theory, you could begin with a lecture to introduce the topic, then use a discussion to deepen the students’ understanding, and finally allow the students to work together in groups to apply the theory to a real-world problem.

5. Use activities and games: You can also use activities and games to help your students learn more effectively. Games and activities help to engage students in the material in an interactive way and can help to strengthen their understanding of the concepts. For example, if you are teaching a lesson about the human body, you could use an interactive game to help students learn the names of the different organs and their functions.