The Feynman technique: learning by explaining simply

In short: With the Feynman technique you explain a topic as simply as if you were teaching it to a child or a layperson. Wherever the explanation falters, the gaps in your own understanding become visible.

In more detail: The method is named after the physicist Richard Feynman, who was known for vivid explanations. The sequence of steps popular today, however, does not come directly from him but is a later summary. Its core idea, explaining in your own words, is supported by learning research.

In detail

• Step 1: Choose a topic and write its name at the top of a blank sheet.
• Step 2: Explain the topic in simple words without your notes, in writing or aloud, as if a layperson were sitting opposite you.
• Step 3: Find the points where you get stuck, merely repeat technical terms or feel unsure, and look them up specifically in your material.
• Step 4: Simplify the explanation, add examples and comparisons, and go through it again without notes.
• Why it works: Explaining forces active recall and making connections; research calls this the self-explanation effect (testeffekt-und-abrufueben).
• Jargon as a warning sign: If you cannot explain a term without using the term itself, you often have not fully understood it yet.
• Good for connections: Especially helpful for concepts and processes, for example in science, economics or history.
• Limits: For pure factual knowledge such as vocabulary or formulas, flashcards and repetition are often more efficient; simplifying must not distort the content.
• Practise with others: Explaining to a real person gives you immediate questions and reveals gaps even faster (lerngruppen-und-gemeinsam-lernen, lernen-lernen-methoden-die-wirklich-funktionieren).