Working memory is an important aspect of learning, and we use it daily. It is a system that allows us to store and manipulate information temporarily. And guess what! Children use their working memory in all their experiences. This post's goal is to explain the concept of working memory with a cute example and to give some useful tips and activity ideas to help parents and teachers improve their kids' working memory, which will, at the same time, lead to a successful life at school!
To understand how it works, let's consider an example. Imagine you are learning to cook a new dish. Your working memory helps you remember the cooking steps while connecting this process with your previous cooking experiences. As you learn the new dish, your senses are engaged, and your existing ideas about cooking are challenged and potentially changed, leading to new ways of thinking about the cooking process.
Suppose the new dish is similar to something you have cooked before. In that case, some information from that experience will transfer to your long-term memory. However, suppose the process is entirely new and has many steps. In that case, your working memory may need additional practice to learn it better. You may need to cook the new dish a few times to ensure you have learned it efficiently.
The speed at which information is transferred from working memory to long-term memory depends on various factors, including the impact of the new dish on you. If you enjoy cooking and are enthusiastic about learning a new dish, processing the information may take less time than if you do not typically cook and have little interest in the dish.
It seems simple, but this process requires not just one specific area of our brain but a couple working together as a system.
Working memory significantly impacts academic performance, particularly in Reading and Math.
When learning to read, working memory helps with decoding, executing phonemic awareness tasks, learning vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
Math benefits from working memory. It includes number manipulation, reasoning, and problem-solving. It mainly involves recovering information to solve problems.
The good news is that we can train our working memory, including that of our children!!, with just 10 minutes of daily exercise. I guarantee that this will positively impact their learning experience.
Here are some ideas:
Memorize numbers, letters, images, or words and recall them later without looking at them. This can be done using cards or orally. I recommend starting with the printed version and then introducing the oral one. - Adult: I will show you a card with two or three numbers. You will have 15 seconds to look at the numbers, after which I will take the card away. Then, you need to tell me the numbers you saw without looking at the card again. For example, I will show you a card with the numbers 4, 8, 12. Remember the numbers. Now, I will take the card away, and you will repeat the numbers I show you in order. - Adult: Can you tell me the numbers?
Notes and variations:
For younger students, start by asking them to memorize movements and gestures.
You can use this activity with letters, words, images, etc.
If recalling the items in order is complicated, ask them to be recalled in any order. Once you see the task is more manageable, start asking to remember the items in order.
Start with 1 item, then 2, 3, 4… and so on.
Ask to remember the inverse order of the items.
Repeat and add game: There are many game variations where kids add a new item to a list but must first repeat all the previous items.
Adult: I went to the market and bought a carrot.
Kid: I went to the market and bought a carrot and a pumpkin.
Adult: I went to the market and bought a carrot, a pumpkin, and a banana.
It goes all the way until the participants can't remember more.
Notes and variations:
Other ideas: “I went to the zoo and saw…”, “I went to the school and used a…”, “I went to the park and saw a ….”, etc.
Ritmo A-go-go. This is a game I used to play as a child. The goal is to name items and avoid repeating the ones already said.
Adult: Ritmo! (clap, clap, clap) A-go-go! (clap, clap, clap) We will say! (clap, clap, clap) Things I see at school. (clap, clap, clap) For example, “pencil”.
Kids repeat: “pencil”
One Kid says a new word: “table”
Kids repeat: “Table:
Another kid says a new word: “book”
Kids repeat: “Book”.
The game goes on until there are no more things to say or when someone repeats one of the words already said.
Put the cards in order.
Adult: I will show you three cards (car, bicycle, tractor). Then, I will cover the cards and give you the same cards I showed you in a different order. You have to put them in order, as in the example I gave you.
Notes and variations:
Start with items that belong to the same topic. Then, mix them with items from different topics.
Remember the order: Have a card with six to 10 items.
Adult: Touch one of the items.
Kid: Touches the item the adult did and a new one.
Adult: Touches the two previous items, then a new one.
Notes and variations
Start with items that belong to the same topic. Then, mix them with items from different topics.
What did you see? I frequently use this game with my students. I show them an image of kids at the park, school, etc. After a minute of looking at the picture, I ask them to tell me everything they remember happening in that picture.
Another way is to ask explicit questions such as: How many kids are in the image? Where are they? Did you see any rabbits in the picture? The idea is to help kids recall specific information from the memory.
Other games: Memory games, puzzles, looking for differences between two images, repeating sentences orally, retelling a story, etc. There are games you can buy like heads up, tabú, pictionary, card games like Uno and Go Fish are also good ideas.
Jessica, my friend!! I will tell you, evoking information in memory helps us to make assertive desicions for the future, as you stated for instands, solving problems at math by using numbers or be aware of phonics when decoding at reading. By concequence, it enhences the vocabulary and the ability to understand what you read.