The concept of 'cognitive load' refers to the total amount of mental effort being used in the working memory. In educational settings, instructional design aims to manage this load to optimize learning. According to cognitive load theory, learning is hindered when the intrinsic complexity of the material is high and is further exacerbated by poor instructional design that introduces extraneous load. For instance, presenting information in a disjointed manner or requiring learners to integrate multiple sources of unrelated information can overload working memory, leaving insufficient capacity for schema construction. Effective strategies, such as segmenting complex tasks and using worked examples, can reduce extraneous load and free up cognitive resources for deeper processing. However, researchers caution that over-simplification may reduce germane load, which is the load devoted to the processes of learning itself, thereby diminishing the depth of understanding. Thus, a balance must be struck.
❓ Theo đoạn văn, lý do chính khiến thiết kế giảng dạy kém có thể cản trở việc học là gì?
A. A. Nó làm tăng độ phức tạp nội tại của vật liệu.
B. B. Nó làm giảm tải trọng liên quan cần thiết cho quá trình xử lý sâu.
C. C. Nó tạo ra gánh nặng nhận thức không cần thiết, làm quá tải trí nhớ làm việc.
D. D. Nó ngăn cản người học sử dụng hiệu quả các ví dụ đã được giải sẵn.
✅ 正确答案
C. It creates unnecessary cognitive load that overwhelms working memory.
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