March 11, 2026

Help Students Apply Out-of-School Learning in School

When we teach our students new skills, we want them to apply these skills beyond the specific assignment or context in which they initially learned them. We call this additional application of skills transfer. For example, when students learn a mathematical process, we want them to be able to use the skill to solve problems involving different values, to answer related questions from other subject areas, and to understand relationships; this is called near transfer. Taking this idea even further, we might claim complete success when students use the new skill to generate new insights beyond our instruction or to create new knowledge or a unique application; this is far transfer.

Students often think of learning in school as separate and that academic skills are disconnected from learning and knowledge elsewhere. This perceived separation can lead students to overlook opportunities to use what they learn in academic settings in their everyday lives, limiting their motivation and understanding. By helping students recognize how academic skills connect to real-world contexts—such as using math for budgeting or interpreting data—they can become more engaged and see greater relevance in their learning, ultimately enhancing both their confidence and success.

Equally important, transfer is not limited to students using what they learn in class or school in a different context or in other aspects of their lives. The truth is that students develop skills, strategies, and insights outside of school that can benefit their learning in school. However, too often they fail to realize that they can transfer and apply much of what they know and practice outside of school to improve their success in school. We might think of this process as “reverse transfer.”

Helping students to see how outside-of-school skills and strategies can be applied in school can be an exceptionally beneficial revelation and learning accelerator. Let’s explore some outside-of-school skills that students can tap and leverage to support their in-school learning:

Outside-of-school skill: Playing video games and competitive sports develops persistence, strategic thinking, learning from mistakes and unsuccessful attempts, and involves constant improvement.
- In-school learning: Sticking with difficult learning challenges, mining mistakes for learning, finding and using new strategies, and building on past learning to support new learning.
Outside-of-school skill: Learning from YouTube, social media, and peers without formal teaching and structured lessons.
- In-school learning: Using varied resources to supplement formal instruction, learning from peers, and searching for information and learning independently.
Outside-of-school skill: Pushing back on unfairness and injustice and advocating for increased personal independence.
- In-school learning: Writing arguments, participating in debate, engaging in inquiry, and applying a claim-evidence-reasoning framework.
Outside-of-school skill: Creating videos, writing memes, and composing music.
- In-school learning: Using voice and focusing on the audience when writing, storytelling, and developing arguments, and choosing the appropriate format and vehicle to communicate messages.
Outside-of-school skill: Persuading friends, organizing activities, and being aware of group dynamics.
- In-school learning: Seeking and assuming formal leadership roles, learning and applying formal leadership skills and strategies.
Outside-of-school skill: Engaging in hobbies, part-time jobs, and pursuing career interests.
- In-school learning: Leveraging experience and connecting interests to increase relevance of academic content and skills.

Without question, many skills and habits students develop outside of school can benefit their learning in school. However, too many students miss this connection and fail to take advantage of the full range of skills and capabilities they possess. We can help by pointing out potential connections and helping students to transfer—or reverse transfer—what they already know to enhance what we ask them to learn. What additional out-of-school skills and strategies might you add to this list?