Supporting Working Memory Differences in the Classroom
Working memory (WM) is foundational for learning. Students use WM to follow instructions, solve problems, understand sentences, and integrate new information with what they already know. WM difficulties can look like inattention or behavioural issues. Therefore, supporting WM helps ensure students can access instruction, stay engaged, and participate in classroom learning.
Identifying Students with WM difficulties
Teachers can watch for working memory (WM) difficultes by noticing patterns such as trouble following directions, losing track of information during reading or writing, forgetting what to do next, or struggling with mental math. These challenges are especially common in children with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD), who may already be working with reduced vocabulary or morphosyntactic skills. If these red flags appear consistently across activities, it may signal a WM deficit rather than inattention or lack of effort. When you see these signs, try reducing the memory load using the strategies below. Also consider consulting your school's Speech Language Pathologist or psychologist for further assessment and support.
Classroom Modifications & Supports (Boudreau & Costanza-Smith, 2011)
Discourse Strategies
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Repeat key information and "chunk" into manageable pieces
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Ask students to summarize key points at varied intervals
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Clearly explain expectations by showing the end goal of the task
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Check understanding by asking students to restate directions in their own words
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Reduce the pace of instruction to support word learning and comprehension
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In group work, have the child contribute early to reduce memory load of other student's points
Visual & Hands-on Supports
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Use gestures, written steps, and visual aids for instructions
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Make task-related information easily accessible (e.g., word wall with high frequency vocab)
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Provide physical objects to consolidate comprehension of reading and math problem solving (e.g., using cubes for addition problems)
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Individualize supports whenever possible- consider working with school SLP or psychologist
Task Design and Preteaching
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Pre-teach key concepts to activate background knowledge and reduce cognitive load
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Ensure children have a schema for classroom activities (e.g., familiarity with steps of the scientific process for experiments)
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Break tasks into smaller steps to make them easier to process and complete
Supporting Students with Working Memory Challenges
Watch this video to learn how to support children with working memory challenges in the school setting. It explores common characteristics of these learners and practical strategies that can be integrated into the classroom to enhance their learning.
