What is Working Memory?

Working memory is a part of Executive Functioning skills. It is the ability to hold small amounts of information in our brain to complete a task and to organize it for long term storage whether somatic, sensory, or motoric. This can be either information we just learned (the three things your mom asked you to grab from your room) or things you pull from long term memory (rules of punctuation when writing). Our children who struggle with working memory may have difficulty with mental math and following multi-step directions and activities, or knowing what to do next. This is a difficult skill for many people; we walk into a room and forget why we are there or retrieve the pasta box from the recycling to check the cooking time for the third time. It is a huge skill for independence both at home and in the classroom however and is an important area to support to increase functional participation in home and school environments. For kids with auditory processing, language processing, developmental coordination, and attention deficit disorders this is a particular area that requires support.

What do we Already Know About Working Memory Interventions?

There appears not to be a quick fix or program that improves working memory. This 2019 study mentions promising results of working memory training, but poor methodological criteria and lack of compliance to programs which prevent correlations from being drawn. Similarly this 2012 meta-analysis suggests that memory training does not generalize although visuospatial working memory had better follow-up than verbal working memory. In 2018 a randomized control trial on preterm children found that Cogmed Working Memory Training had no significant affect 24-months post training. Although this study suggests that there were improved skills at 3 months.

Overall, it appears that the best interventions for working memory are working on specific in context skills. For example this study found, preschool “efficacy of working memory as well as manual dexterity, aiming and catching and global motor competence” improved after 12 weeks of physical activity intervention. This prospective study highlights  the fact that “both modifications to the environment and child-enacted knowledge and skills, which may serve to reduce the impact of poor WM skills on learning and academic success”. For example, use of manipulatives such as in abacus training can help children that struggle with auditory working memory. Below are examples of some of the ways we can contextually support students with improving their working memory.

Interventions for Working Memory

Change the Environment

-Reduce visual clutter in the home or school environment

-Label where items go in the home and school

-Use a visual schedule

-Assist teachers and parents in reducing clutter on walls and having clear places for calendars and schedules

-Have clearly labeled places for work

-Have a second set of books or access to ebooks at home

Exercise

-Aerobic exercises have been shown (such as in this study) to increase attention in children with ADHD

-Practicing movements creates motor plans that decrease the cognitive load of completing tasks

-Yoga and other mindfulness movements may increase regulation which allows easier access to working memory

Practice

-Memory: This classic guessing game can be adapted to help kids recognizing words, math problems, emotions, and much more

–Puzzles

-Multi-Step Activities: after practicing with lower stake activities we recommend practicing with homework on in class multi-step activities as generalization is difficulty for working memory

-Create Mnemonics with the students (I still use the ones I learned for cranial nerves and let’s be honest the order of North East South and West)

-Teach organization strategies for classwork

-Set common facts to music or alliteration

-Teach older kids to use their notes app, reminders, timers, or calendar

-Teach and encourage note taking. For younger kids you can have them draw directions of each step, item, activity

-Have kids repeat directions back to you

• D’Esposito M, Postle BR. The cognitive neuroscience of working memory. Annu Rev Psychol. 2015 Jan 3;66:115-42. doi: 10.1146/annurev-psych-010814-015031. Epub 2014 Sep 19. PMID: 25251486; PMCID: PMC4374359.
• Miller EK, Lundqvist M, Bastos AM. Working Memory 2.0. Neuron. 2018 Oct 24;100(2):463-475. doi: 10.1016/j.neuron.2018.09.023. PMID: 30359609; PMCID: PMC8112390.
• Rosen, P. (2021, June 8). What is working memory? Understood. Retrieved December 22, 2022, from https://www.understood.org/en/articles/working-memory-what-it-is-and-how-it-works

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