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Working Memory - Coggle Diagram
Working Memory
Working memory difficulties
• Inability to keep verbal information in short term memory whilst carrying out other tasks
• Difficulty remembering and following instructions accurately
• Difficulty in accessing a curriculum at a level that aligns with underlying ability
• Poor retention of information or being able to hold information in mind whilst working with it, such as mental arithmetic
• Appear to have poor concentration, as they frequently forget what is expected of them
• Seem to be daydreaming or not listening when they are really unable to remember what has been asked of them
• Recall and order of symbols for spellings or times tables are problematic
Long term memory:
• Doesn’t remember past learning experiences that would be helpful to use now (recall)
• Difficulty building new knowledge onto existing knowledge
Short term memory:
• Difficulty remembering what has just been modelled to them
• Difficulty remembering what was happening before a distraction or break
• Difficulty repeating back an instruction or information that has just been given
Working memory solutions
• Evaluate the working memory demands of learning activities when planning. Factors that influence working memory include: Excessive length, unfamiliar context / not meaningful, demanding mental processing activity
• Provide as many opportunities to use kinesthetic skills to support their working memory and also verbal skills to help with the retention of information
• Recap and recall: Link new learning to what the pupil already knows – e.g. start lesson with a class mind map of what they already know about a subject
• Making information available as an individual paper copy using visuals, notes or bullet points. This will give the pupil something to help them to focus and keep track of what is being said
• Pre-teaching of some concepts with concrete materials, using visuals may then give the pupil a chance to tune in to the lesson and participate rather than quickly becoming lost
• Explicit Instruction: Use short, clear and simple instructions when explaining things to pupils, chunking one at a time and checking their understanding frequently. Increases the chance children with poor working memory retaining the whole instruction
• Avoid asking the pupil to copy from the board as they will forget what they have to write in the time it takes to look at the information and then look back at his book
• Say out loud what you are doing when modelling each step of a learning sequence to develop their metacognition
• Encourage the pupils to say out loud the steps of task as they complete them
• Place keeping/organisational strategies – encourage the child to break the task into parts, treating each part as a separate task
• Repetition of information - encourage the child to request repetition, or pair them with a pupil who has good memory abilities
Working memory solutions (Scaffolds)
• Provide and encourage a range of scaffolds which are become key memory aids – make them available and easy to access. Familiarizing the pupils with scaffolds will promote their helpfulness:
o Examples for Writing - spelling aids, such as wall charts, flash cards, word strips, word blocks, spelling mnemonics, dictionary sheet of high frequency words, alphabet strip, memory jogger card for b/d confusion
o Examples for Maths - multiplication grids, blank number lines, part-whole model template, sorting circles, place value chart, blank 5 / 10 frame, 100 number square, fraction wall, vocabulary cards
Working memory solutions
• Model how to complete a task before expecting pupils to work independently
• Question pupil after some other pupils have given examples of what is required
• To help pupil extract the key points from information they are given, use highlighter pens or provide cards telling them what they have to look out for on a visit, in a text or from sources such as video clips