The role of working memory in learning.
Working memory is a stronger predictor of personal and academic success than IQ. But what is working memory?
You are using it right now as you read this article and remember the information. Working memory is our ability to comprehend, listen and take notes, remember a sequence of events or steps in a math problem. A young student may read a word and forget it a few lines later; an older student may be following the lecture until he is distracted by another student’s question and forgets what he has just heard.
It is important to know if your student (or even a spouse or employee) is intentionally not following through with a request or if they have a weak working memory.
In her book, “Improving Working Memory: Supporting Students’ Learning,” Tracy Packiam Alloway states that in a recent study with students from 8-11 who received extra educational support, like tutoring and special classes,they were still performing at the bottom of the class two years later. Drilling academics without improving working memory is like entering a bike race with flat tires. If we don’t develop working memory skills, the academics won’t make a difference.
However, working memory can be increased with intensive training! Contact me for information on how to develop working memory through cognitive training. Let’s give our students the capacity to learn!
