Working Memory, Memory Deficits, and Education

Education and Memory Deficits

Memory and processing deficits interfere with the way information is understood. Working memory is very important, as it is the place where information is assessed, categorized, manipulated, and processed. Without working memory, we would not be able to solve problems or understand language. The ability to quickly and accurately process and comprehend information is necessary in daily classroom activities. Working memory deficits appear to be the largest contributor to learning difficulties in language, literacy, and mathematics. The effects of memory deficits on children can be as individual as the children themselves.

Children with poor memory skills are often described as inconsistent and may even be referred for learning disability or behavioral evaluations. If a child can not retain information long enough to process it adequately, then the information may not be retained or may be incorrect upon later retrieval. Reading comprehension depends a great deal on working memory capacity. Some children can read the words, but they are not able to make sense of the completed sentence or paragraph, as information becomes lost during the reading. Acquiring complex skills will be a slow and difficult process for these children.

Baseline educational assessments address what a child already knows, and results are likely influenced by prior education or socioeconomic status. Working memory test results generally are unaffected by either of these factors. There is often a correlation between low scores on standardized education tests and suspected working memory deficits. It appears that the most efficient way of determining children who may be at risk would be to combine knowledge testing and ability testing, such as that for working memory.

Educational Support

As in many other areas of learning difficulties today, the number of children with confirmed memory deficits is increasing. It makes perfect sense that there will also be an increasing need for instructor support. Offering teacher inservice programs on common memory deficits would provide a broad understanding of what a teacher may encounter in a classroom, and how best to cope with a child with weak memory skills.

Supporting these students in our classrooms is an absolute must for their success. Reducing loads on working memory may help improve working memory skills. There are many ways to accomplish this, including using external memory aids, reducing task length, and using brief, simple instructions whenever possible. Reviewing frequently, in short sessions, and in a variety of ways is generally regarded as a good way to improve and build memory skills. Many strategies that are commonly used with exceptional students can also be applied with success to those with working memory deficits. Some of these may include breaking instructions down into small steps, posting frequently used information for reference, and allowing extra time for assignments and tests. Most of the strategies that are suggested are easily incorporated into the everyday routines of a classroom.

Beyond the difficulties with actual learning processes, memory deficits can also impact individual behavior in the classroom. For some children with memory deficits, frequent failure to complete other tasks correctly causes additional frustration. This may be seen as a disruption in general behavior as these children act out verbally or physically, or show disrespect to their teachers or to other students. Supporting these students may require modification of other classroom tasks to ensure at least partial success, and reduce the frustration of repeated failures. Offer these children routine tasks regularly, so the tasks are easily recognized and performed without producing an overload on working memory.

Conclusion

Memory deficits, especially those of working memory, can be responsible for a wide range of difficulties in both learning and behavior. As current research delves further into the theories of working memory, we should be able to see a deeper understanding of how learning is generally affected. Educators need to search for strategies and information that will allow us to support children with various memory deficits.