Working memory in the classroom

Why does new information sometimes seem to stick in children’s minds, while at other times it is forgotten? Working memory is certainly a part of the answer. Working memory (sometimes known as short-term memory) is ‘in the moment’ thinking that enables us to make decisions, keep track of conversations, and solve problems. This kind of memory impacts many aspects of learning, including language comprehension, reading and mathematics. It’s important, not least because children with poorer working memory are often less successful in school. Understanding how working memory functions gives useful insights for supporting all children’s learning. 

“It’s important, not least because children with poorer working memory are often less successful in school.”

The limits of working memory

If you give children a list of instructions, they might skip one or more tasks. Although it may seem that they are not listening or concentrating, the real problem may be that their working memory is simply overwhelmed by the number of tasks they are expected to complete. There is some variation between individuals and by age, but most adults are unable to hold more than four pieces of information in their working memory at one time. The capacity of a child’s working memory is generally even smaller, leading to a bottleneck that can limit longer-term learning.

While working memory capacity is small, children and adults naturally group certain types of information together. This means that each item in a child’s working memory may be associated with a larger body of knowledge stored in long-term memory. For example, if children already know that water can take the form of a liquid, solid or gas, depending on the temperature, they will need to hold fewer pieces of information in their minds when learning about the water cycle. Their long-term memory can therefore support their working memory.

Teaching with verbal and visual information

When introducing information about the water cycle, a teacher might use a diagram or picture to clarify a spoken or written explanation. Supplementing verbal information with pictures, objects, or actions can support learning. One view of working memory is that it consists of components that process visual and verbal items separately, along with a component that combines this information.

Instructional materials can be designed to take full advantage of students’ working memory capacity. One way to avoid working memory overload is to minimise verbal information. Using visual alongside verbal information can be helpful in grouping related information and connecting it to long-term memory. For example, an image of arrows going around in a circle, or a circle traced in the air, can help learners connect their experience of ‘things going round and round’ to new information about how the state of water in the environment is constantly changing.

Attention matters for working memory

How and where children focus their attention affects what they learn. Working memory involves both processing new information and keeping it in mind. One view of working memory is that because we are unable to do both simultaneously, we continuously switch our attention between the two – we process new information and maintain what is currently in working memory by ‘refreshing’ it.

In the classroom, children may need additional time to process information, especially if it is new or cognitively demanding. They need to pay attention in order to process new information and hold it in their working memory. Doing both at the same time is challenging, and if the demand on their attention is too great, some information will be lost. Allowing ‘thinking time’ when presenting new information, when quizzing children, and when encouraging them to ask questions, can support their learning.

“Allowing ‘thinking time’ when presenting new information, when quizzing children, and when encouraging them to ask questions, can support their learning.”

Attention and long-term memory

A bumble bee has just flown through the classroom window and perhaps a child is wondering where the buzzing is coming from. Or perhaps their mind is wandering to lunch. Perhaps they are even starting to link new information to what they already know – as the teacher is hoping. In this case, the child’s working memory is activating part of their long-term memory in combination with the focus of their attention.

Linking new information to what children already know supports their working memory. When introducing a new scientific word, for example, it will make the new information easier to process if the meaning behind that word is first explained in familiar terms.

Of course, not all children in a given classroom already know the same things, nor do they all have the same working memory capacity. Thus the same information may overload the working memory of some children but not others.

“Insights into working memory can help educators better understand the complexities of what is happening in children’s minds.”

Children who can hold more information in their working memory are better able to learn and remember a concept. In a subsequent lesson, their existing knowledge of the concept allows them to group new information with the help of their long-term memory. Children who are more prone to working memory overload tend to be less able to use this strategy. This can lead to a negative cycle, as children with poorer working memory are unable to catch up with their peers.

It takes planning and resources, but teaching can be adapted to allow all children adequate time for the consolidation of key concepts. Helpful approaches include considering the demands of learning activities on working memory, breaking down complexity, creating familiar routines, explicitly connecting new information to what children already know, providing memory aids, and teaching children strategies to support their memory. It can also be useful to give children who may have poorer working memory a ‘heads-up’ by engaging in short pre-teaching activities prior to whole-class learning activities.

Insights into working memory can help educators better understand the complexities of what is happening in children’s minds in the classroom and find ways to support all children’s learning. Presenting new information in the form of short lists, using visual alongside verbal information, linking new and old information, and allowing plenty of processing time will help information to stick in children’s minds and become integrated into their thinking.

Tips to support children’s learning based on an understanding of working memory
• Give children memory aids, such as a list of instructions to refer back to.
• Supplement verbal information with pictures, objects, or actions.
• Provide extra ‘thinking time’ for new or cognitively demanding learning material.
• Explicitly link new information to what children already know.