How we learn: throw out the rule book and unlock your brain's potential

The author explores techniques and practices that help the student to learn and embed knowledge. Just a series of small alterations in the way we study can make a significant difference in our ability to retain knowledge to boost long-term learning. He recommends short sessions spent memorising material, reciting aloud what has been learned, as well as regular tests and even short naps.

He claims that the school system fails to take account of the way our brains actually work. According to him the "science of learning" is the study of "the living brain – and how it manages the streaming sights, sounds, and scents of daily life". He draws on a range of recent research, bringing together the material that touches on memory and memory training. He tells us why pacing revision sessions, chanting aloud, and regular testing can work in building long-term memory and bringing these memories back to the surface.