Table of Contents
What is working memory
Weaknesses in working memory....
Can working memory be strengthened?
The importance of automaticity
How and when to compensate
What is working memory?
Working memory is the ability to hold new information in our minds in order to manipulate it in some way. This is different from long term memory, which is stored and accessed over a longer period of time like weeks and years. Recalling the name of one of our teachers from years ago is an example of long term memory,.
An example of working memory might be remembering character names and details while responding to a short response comprehension question after reading a passage. Our working memory must hold onto newly learned information to then analyze it in order to make inferences, summarize, or otherwise apply critical thinking skills.
When do we use working memory?
Working memory is used in many different ways. We use working memory when we meet someone new and learn their name, or when we return to our airport gate from using the bathroom while traveling. Working memory is required in basically all academic subjects at one point or another.
In math working memory is required when solving multistep equations that require us to manipulate numbers in a second way that is dependent on the initial operation. Working memory is required in writing to hold onto ideas and phrases to use when writing a paragraph. Working memory is even used when children decode unknown words and enables them to remember the first sound in a word while they recall the second and third sounds to then blend together as a whole word.
Weaknesses in working memory...
A weakness in working memory can cause forgetting information right after learning it. It can appear when we put our keys down somewhere we normally don’t and then we cannot find them for the next thirty minutes. Deficits in working memory make it challenging for children and adults to be able to follow multi-step instructions, and can lead to forgetting due dates.
Weaknesses in working memory make it hard to respond to complex oral discussion questions like “explain the significance of the battle of New Orleans.” In order to answer that question the student must recall several things at once, only some of which may have made it to long term memory. The student has to remember what occurred at the battle of New Orleans, what happened as a result of that, and even what the word significance means.
Can working memory be strengthened?
There have been multiple studies conducted on the brain's working memory capacity, as well as effects of "strengthening" exercises. Initially it was believed that working memory's capacity was limited to 9 items at a time, but more recently it has been accepted that the limit is most likely closer to 1-4 items.
Individuals with ADHD and executive functioning challenges that impact working memory may have a more limited working memory capacity.
The concept of "chunking" that underpins the learning strategy of mnemonic devices allows us to remember a larger amount of items at a time by combining them into groups. PEMDAS is a common mnemonic device used in math to help learners remember the order in which to use operations in a multistep problem.
You can read more about the specific studies conducted on training working memory here. What I found most illuminating was the Klingberg study. The results of this study indicated that strengthening working memory may not have the result of simply expanding working memory capacity, but rather helped participants better screen out irrelevant stimuli in order to use their working memory capacity to focus on the specific task at hand.
As many of us know, children and adults with ADHD often struggle with attention, focus, and inhibition. These challenges can result in not only difficulty remembering components of academic tasks, but also can lead to emotional and behavioral obstacles.
The importance of automaticity
In addition to strengthening working memory in general we can also support this cognitive function by increasing automaticity of specific and frequently used skills. For example- a student with dyslexia will be able to better remember complex text if they have foundational skills that allows them to decode more automatically, leaving their working memory ability a little freer to focus on the content of the text.
Similarly, students with an automatic recall of basic multiplication facts will not have to sacrifice limited working memory to computation needs while they solve word problems.
Once we have traveled a route enough times, our mental energy may no longer need to rehearse the turns and may find itself being used to observe landmarks previously unseen. An athlete who has mastered a free throw may have more memory available to remember the play learned the week prior and more quickly pass the ball to the correct player.
While working memory can be strengthened, it can unfortunately also be weakened by stress, injury, and commonly by lack of sleep. Tasks that once took no effort to repeat, may become grueling and prone to error after a night of sleeplessness. Additionally and perhaps most distressing, memory in general can be negatively affected by many diseases including alzheimers and dementia.
How and when to compensate
As I mentioned earlier, the amount of items our working memory can hold has been debated, but many agree that there is some type of limit. Whatever the number is, it is often not in line with current work and school demands. I think this is most visible in the transition between elementary and middle school.
In middle school the number of classes students take usually expands at the same time as the number of independent tasks required during and after the school day increases. Students have more classes, teachers, homework, sports, and household responsibilities. This often causes many students to forget assignment deadlines as well as classroom expectations as they sometimes navigate 8 different settings in a day.
Working memory is also required in a number of different occupational settings. Sales clerks may need to remember different discount codes at the register, waitstaff may have 7 different tables they are responsible for with multiple different orders, and many of us have several meetings to attend and be engaged in throughout the day.
So how do we compensate when our working memory is maxed out? There are several strategies that I teach students how to use in executive functioning coaching. Some are strategies we can use in any situation, and some are tools that can be helpful with specific tasks.
Three of the ones I use and recommend most frequently include self-talk, writing things down, and metacognitive strategies. Self talk can be used to repeat new information as it is given, remind myself of the task at hand, help me better comprehend written text, and encourage or regulate my emotions during difficult situations.
Writing things down actually helps our working memory in a few ways- it offloads some of the information so our working memory is more free to focus on other tasks, and we can refer to the written record to help reinforce concepts and remember information. We can write information down in more structured calendars, but it can be as simple as using a white board or post it note.
Metacognition is how we think about our own thinking & behavior. It is honest self reflection without judgement. For example, It can allow us to recognize when are not absorbing information and when our working memory is either too taxed to function or otherwise impaired. This recognition can then prompt us to check for understanding from others, use strategies like self-talk, and write things down.
Those strategies only work if we can first recognize there is a need to use them. I often teach metacognition by providing frequent opportunities for students to objectively assess their strengths, weaknesses, and what tools are helpful for them. I also use sensory notation and other meditation techniques to help students learn how to notice their surroundings and internal states more frequently.
I always encourage students to try out many tools (for an adequate amount of time) to find a tool that works for them. Working memory is only one of several executive functioning skills, but it is an important one.
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