The Feynman technique: learn by explaining it simply

1. Choose a topic and write its name at the top of a page.
2. Explain it simply, in writing or out loud, as if teaching a younger student. No notes.
3. Find the gaps. Mark anywhere you got stuck, used a term you couldn't define, or said "it just does".
4. Go back and simplify. Check your notes or textbook for those parts, then explain the whole thing again, more simply and with an example.

Repeat until you can explain it clearly from start to finish.

First attempt: "It's summer when the Earth is closer to the Sun."

That's a common misconception, and trying to explain it reveals the gap: if distance caused seasons, both hemispheres would have summer at the same time, but they don't.

After checking: "The Earth's axis is tilted. When the northern half is tilted towards the Sun, sunlight hits it more directly and days are longer, so it's summer there, and winter in the southern half, which is tilted away. Six months later it's the other way round."

The second explanation is simpler, correct, and makes a prediction you can test.

• It's retrieval practice. Explaining from memory is a form of active recall, which strengthens memory.
• It's self-explanation. Explaining why and how, not just what, builds connected understanding. In one study, students who were prompted to explain a biology text to themselves as they read understood it better than those who read it twice (Chi et al., 1994).
• It exposes the illusion of understanding. Material often feels clear when you read it. Explaining it shows whether that's true.

• Use an example. If you can't give an example, you probably don't understand it yet.
• Ban jargon at first. Explain "photosynthesis" without saying "photosynthesis". Then add the correct terms back in.
• Explain to a real person if you can, and let them ask "why?".
• Keep it short: a topic per session, 10 to 20 minutes.
• Check your final explanation against a reliable source. A simple explanation that's wrong is worse than none.

The technique shines for concepts and processes: how something works, why something happened, what an idea means. It's less useful for pure memorisation (vocabulary, dates), where flashcards and spaced repetition are faster. For maths, combine it with practice: explain the method, then do problems. See how to study math.

Explaining works best with a listener who asks questions. With TutorAura, you can explain a topic to the tutor and ask it to play a curious student: it asks "why?" at the vague points, points out anything inaccurate, and gives you a question to test whether your explanation holds up. It's a quick way to find gaps before a test.