Stop and Think is a 10-week programme that aims to improve science and maths attainment for KS2 pupils . It consists of a 12-minute computer-assisted ‘game’ that teachers use at the start of science and/or maths lessons. Based on neuroscience research, the programme helps children overcome their natural tendency to rely on intuitive responses, enabling them to develop a deeper understanding of key counterintuitive concepts.
Stop and Think was developed at the Centre for Educational Neuroscience, by a team from Birkbeck University of London and the UCL Institute of Education.
EEF’s Teaching and Learning Toolkit shows that interventions that build on meta-cognition and self regulation, whilst also encouraging collaborative learning have high impact on pupil outcomes.
The Stop and Think programme takes a technology-enabled, game-based learning approach, which is less common in science instruction but has the potential to be highly effective. Science concepts are often counterintuitive, meaning misconceptions can persist. The programme helps pupils question initial assumptions and apply knowledge more accurately.
The EEF trialled this programme at both efficacy and effectiveness level. This means that EEF have trialled this programme in both a smaller number of schools in best possible conditions and subsequently in in a larger number of schools in circumstances that are as close as possible to everyday conditions.
Both trials showed a positive impact on attainment for science. The first efficacy trial found an impact of two additional months’ progress in science for pupils who had received the Stop and Think programme, and one additional months progress for maths.
The effectiveness trial showed the same positive impact for science – pupils who took part in Stop and Think made, on average, two months of extra progress compared to those who had standard lessons. For children eligible for Free School Meals (FSM), the impact was one additional month of progress. However, overall, there isn’t evidence to suggest pupils are differently impacted by the programme. This result has a three padlock security rating, meaning we are moderately confident that this difference was due to the intervention and not to other factors.
For maths, the effectiveness trial found that Stop and Think did not lead to any extra progress for either group compared to regular teaching. Feedback from teachers suggested that the science materials were of higher quality and more engaging. The different results in maths and science may be because maths already has a strong emphasis in the curriculum and makes greater use of certain teaching techniques, such as using “non-examples” to explain concepts.
These positive results have led EEF to designate this as a ‘Promising Programme’ for science. EEF recommends the use of Stop and Think for raising science attainment, however we don’t have the evidence to suggest for maths, the approach is any more promising than usual teaching.
- The latest published effectiveness trial took place 173 primary schools, located across England.
- 33% of the pupils in the trial schools were eligible for FSM, which is above national average.
The intervention consists of 30 sessions, each lasting approximately 12 minutes, delivered three times per week over a 10-week period. Teachers receive self-explanatory guidance that provides an overview on how to use the software. Sessions include games with multiple-choice questions for science and maths that address common misconceptions. In the trial, teachers delivered the intervention at the start of science and/or maths lessons, using a computer and a projector or an interactive whiteboard. The programme is a whole-class activity, with pupils working through problems together.
Teachers have flexibility in how pupils interact with the software, whether discussing in pairs or as a group. There is also flexibility to choose weekly themes or use randomised topics. Optional motivational features, such as leaderboards and virtual rewards, are included to encourage engagement without affecting the core learning process.
In the trial the Stop and Think programme was delivered with fidelity, and teachers found it easy to implement as designed. Most teachers (72%) followed the recommended weekly frequency. Some variation in session length and adaptations to whole-class delivery were used by teachers. Teachers also reported positive classroom impacts, particularly in science, including greater reflection on teaching practice and a more inclusive learning environment for SEND and EAL pupils.
If schools now choose to implement Stop and Think, they can choose which classes to implement the programme in. EEF’s evidence was generated for Y3 and Y5 pupils, and we found that delivery of the programme improved science outcomes (but not maths) compared to business as usual teaching. Schools choosing to use the programme may wish to do so on the understanding of likely impact on science attainment, rather than maths .
For the programme as trialled in the latest evaluation, the average cost for one class was around £14 per pupil per year when averaged over three years.
This is an estimate of holistic school costs to implement the programme at the time of the evaluation, schools will need to check the current cost of the programme through Birkbeck University of London.
The version of Stop and Think trialled as part of this effectiveness trial is available to schools with the same level of support:
Access includes user manual and instructional online video for how to create an account and play the game.
There will be an email address for queries is monitored daily.
The cost for accessing the programme currently is £75 for 1 year per school.
To find out how to access the programme, visit https://www.unlocke.org/. You can also email: Ms. Sarela Castro, s.castromuniz@bbk.ac.uk or call +44 (0)20 3926 1087.