The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational psychology, it is often divided into three types: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Intrinsic load is inherent to the complexity of the material itself, while extraneous load is generated by the way information is presented to learners. Germane load, on the other hand, is the effort devoted to processing and understanding the material, which contributes to learning. Research suggests that instructional design should aim to minimize extraneous load, but not necessarily intrinsic load, as the latter is tied to the difficulty of the subject. Effective teaching strategies often involve scaffolding to help learners manage intrinsic load, thereby freeing cognitive resources for germane processing.
❓ Según el pasaje, ¿qué tipo de carga cognitiva debería el diseño instruccional pretender principalmente reducir?
A. A. Carga intrínseca, porque es innecesaria para el aprendizaje.
B. B. Carga extrínseca, porque no contribuye directamente a la comprensión.
C. C. Carga pertinente, porque abruma la memoria de trabajo.
D. D. Tanto la carga intrínseca como la extrínseca, ya que ambas dificultan el aprendizaje por igual.
✅ 正确答案
B. Extraneous load, because it does not directly contribute to understanding.
IELTS Reading Tips
Skim the questions first, underline keywords, then locate in the passage
Watch for paraphrasing; correct answers are often reworded
Be wary of absolute statements (all, always, never) — usually wrong
Pay attention to content after transition words (however, but, yet)
Manage time: about 20 minutes per passage; skip difficult questions first