Why we circle back on purpose

The power of looping for incarcerated learners and how to do it without sounding repetitive

When I say looping, you might think… Wait, didn’t we already talk about this?

Exactly. And that’s the point.

Looping is the instructional strategy that makes new learning possible by revisiting old learning. It’s more than just review. Looping builds meaning over time, revisiting the same concept through a new lens, at the right moment, so it sticks.

Your brain is already feeling more confident right now because there’s a hint of familiarity. That curiosity creates the sweet spot for learning. Looping doesn’t just bring learners back, it takes them higher.

What you’ll walk away with

• A clear definition of looping that doesn’t feel like déjà vu
  
  
• The neuroscience behind why it works, especially in high-stress learning environments
  
  
• Practical ways to use looping across a course without sounding repetitive
  
  
• A checklist to ensure loops feel intentional, not accidental
  
  

The jargon you actually need to know

Term: Spiral Curriculum Theory, aka looping
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‍What it is: An approach to teaching where key concepts are introduced early and then revisited at increasing levels of complexity over time. Learners return to important ideas again and again, each time with deeper understanding and new applications.

The core idea: Learning builds like a spiral, upward and outward, not circling in place.

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What the science says

Spiral curriculum theory reinforces memory through repetition, encourages deeper thinking and skill development, and makes connections between new and previously learned material. It is especially helpful for adult learners who may need to revisit and reframe earlier concepts as they gain more context and confidence.

Our brains don’t learn in straight lines, they learn in spirals. Revisiting key concepts over time, each time with more complexity, strengthens memory, triggers retrieval, and boosts confidence (Bruner, 1960; Harden, 1999; Kang, 2016; Bransford et al., 2000).

Spiral learning is also a trauma-informed powerhouse. Safe, low-pressure repetition builds familiarity, and familiarity lowers anxiety. For learners who’ve struggled in school before, looping gently says: You belong here. Let’s try again, this time with more tools (Immordino-Yang, 2015; Hammond, 2015).

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Why looping works

Meaning isn’t made all at once. Think of hearing a song or seeing a performer multiple times. The first encounter may register, but repeated exposure builds recognition, confidence, and understanding. Looping does the same for learning. Learners stop asking, “Didn’t we already do this?” and start saying, “Ohhh, now I get it.”

How to design for the loop

Here are practical ways to make looping work with the brain, not against it:

Change the angle, not the message

Looping is not repeating the same screen. It’s approaching the same concept from a different perspective. For example, if you introduced emotional regulation with a breathing technique, loop it later through:

• A new scenario, someone pushing boundaries
  
  
• A reflection prompt, When has this helped you?
  
  
• A checklist, Pause, breathe, respond
  
  

Every exposure helps learners connect another dot.

Wait long enough for forgetting to begin

Timing matters. Reintroduce key concepts after at least 5 to 7 screens or in the next lesson. Bonus, loop again in a quiz or review section. That “Wait, I know this” moment builds confidence and rewires shame from past academic experiences.

Link loops to progress, not punishment

If revisiting a concept in the final quiz, avoid framing it as “We already told you this.” Instead, try:
“You saw this strategy earlier in the course. How could it apply here?”

This approach honors prior learning and normalizes needing another look.

Don’t call it review. Call it reinforcement

Academic trauma can make learners associate review with being behind. Frame looping as building, not backtracking. Examples:

• “Let’s bring this skill back into play”
  
  
• “You’ve seen this before, now let’s test it in a new way”
  
  
• “Back to this idea because it matters here too”
  
  

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Common mistakes and how to fix them

Repeating the same phrasing word for word
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Fix: Say it differently, vary the tone, add a new example, or shift the medium. Without variation, repetition feels like a design error.

Looping back without context
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Fix: Preview the connection. “Earlier we talked about identifying triggers. Now let’s apply that skill in a peer conversation.” Learners need to know why they’re revisiting a concept.

Looping only in the quiz
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Fix: Build touchpoints earlier through activities, visuals, or sentence starters. Retrieval practice works best when it’s low-stakes and spaced throughout the course.

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TL;DR: Don’t move on. Loop back

• Looping revisits the same idea across time, formats, and depth
  
  
• It strengthens memory, builds confidence, and makes learning stick
  
  
• Essential for incarcerated adults who need time, safety, and repetition to thrive
  
  
• Done right, looping feels like mastery, not review
  
  
• One idea, many doors. Let learners walk through again with more clarity each time
  
  

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References

Bransford, J. D., Brown, A. L., & Cocking, R. R. (2000). How people learn: Brain, mind, experience, and school. National Academies Press.

Ebbinghaus, H. (1885). Memory: A contribution to experimental psychology.

Hammond, Z. (2015). Culturally responsive teaching and the brain. Corwin.

Immordino-Yang, M. H. (2015). Emotions, learning, and the brain: Exploring the educational implications of affective neuroscience. W. W. Norton & Company.

Kang, S. H. K. (2016). Spaced repetition promotes efficient and effective learning: Policy implications for instruction. Policy Insights from the Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 3(1), 12–19.

Knowles, M. S., Holton, E. F., & Swanson, R. A. (2015). The adult learner (8th ed.). Routledge.