What is working memory?
Working memory is the ability to hold information in your head and mentally manipulate it over short periods of time. It is a mental workspace that we can use to store information in the course of our mental activities. Difficulties with working memory make it hard to hold information in ‘temporary storage’ or work with it – for example, difficulty in remembering and following instructions, or forgetting what has recently been said.
Your child will need this memory on a daily basis at school for a variety of tasks, such as following teachers’ instructions or remembering sentences they have been asked to write down. Children with a difficulty in working memory can often expend more effort than other children in completing a task.
Signs of working memory?
- Difficulty staying engaged in class
- Needing more time and repetition
- Inconsistent performance
- Difficulty following instructions or directions
- Poor academic progress, especially in reading and maths
- Difficulty keeping their place in a task, especially when required to multi-task
- A need to constantly read and re-read text
How can I help my child?
- Memory games using cards or articles, toys, etc, will be helpful – some board games also require memory skills.
- Provide only short lists of things to remember – this can provide practice at remembering. Start with only a few things, then add other items to the list.
- Encourage the use of memory aids – wall charts, Dictaphones.
- Encourage the use of memory strategies – such as writing things down in a related group. For example, if doing shopping, list all the items for the kitchen together, then for the bathroom, then clothing, etc
- Try to encourage the use of drawings – children with working memory difficulties can often remember things better if they have some sort of visual image of the item or the material.
- Many everyday family-type outings can be used to reinforce working memory without it being obvious to the child. A visit to a museum, a shopping outing, word and picture games and ‘I spy’-type games can all reinforce school activities in a leisurely and stress-free manner.
Praise and motivation
- Praise can be a natural motivator as long as your child feels the praise is genuine and deserved. It is important to let him/her know why he/she is being praised rather than just provide praise.
It can be easy for the child with working memory difficulties to be discouraged. It is crucial that motivation is maintained. One of the best motivators is success. If steps are small enough and targets are realistic, then your child will achieve some success and this will provide motivation.
Further help
‘Mind mapping’ is recognised as a useful tool for those who like to work visually, both as an aid to organising writing assignments and also for revision and note taking. Tony Buzan has written several books that explain the process. For example, Mind Maps for Kids, which contains many ideas for mind mapping, some of which the student may find very helpful and enjoyable. Mind mapping computer software allows a pupil to depict ideas in visual (pictorial or diagrammatic) form and then translate these ideas into written notes. Some of the following software also offer free trials: https://edrawsoft.com; www.inspiration-at.com; www.mindmeister.com/; coggle.it
The Happy Puzzle Company www.happypuzzle.co.uk – a wide range of games, puzzles and challenges, to develop visual and spatial skills, motor skills, memory, problem-solving, and number skills.
Cogmed Working Memory Training is a home-based computerized brain training program that is designed to help people sustainably improve their working memory capacity. See: www.cogmed.com/
How can I remember all that! Trracy Packiam Alloway This is a child-friendly and authoritative guide by Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway. She discusses what working memory is, what it feels like to have problems with your working memory, and what you can do about it. She presents key tips and strategies that will help pupils both at home and at school.
‘Graphic Facilitation’ (drawing pictures as you listen or talk) can help with making sense and remembering information. Brandy Agerbeck’s book, The Graphic Facilitator’s Guide, outlines creative and artistic strategies for making sense of information – using drawing as a ‘thinking tool’. See: www.youtube.com/watchv=dYSjPkdcwdI and www.emilybrysonelt.com/what-is-graphic-facilitation-and-why-is-it-perfect-for-elt/
Listening devices, such as loop ear plugs can eliminate background noise, allowing the pupil to process auditory information more efficiently by reducing cognitive overload and eliminating distractions. See: www.loopearplugs.com/pages/compare-loop-earplugs
The Memory Palace technique: using the visual memory to support memory. www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9IOqd1LpkA