Which strategy can teachers use to enhance elaborative processes?

Encouraging students to connect the material to their own lives is an effective strategy to enhance elaborative processes because it engages students at a personal level, making the content more relevant and meaningful to them. When students can relate academic concepts to their own experiences, they are more likely to integrate the new information with their existing knowledge, leading to deeper understanding and retention.

This strategy fosters critical thinking and reflection, prompting students to consider not just the facts but also the implications and applications of their learning. By drawing parallels between the material and personal experiences, students become active participants in their own learning journey, which can enhance motivation and engagement in the classroom.

In contrast, limiting personal connections to the material, relying on historical texts only, or minimizing classroom discussions would likely hinder the process of elaboration. These approaches might restrict students' ability to explore and relate to the material in a comprehensive way, reducing the opportunity for in-depth cognitive engagement.