Working Memory & Learning Struggles

Working memory is one of the primary skills that determines the way your brain interacts with the world around you. It’s like your “mental bucket” that holds onto information long enough to determine what happens next, whether that is further processing, an action, or storing it in memory. 

For many kids who struggle in school, weak working memory makes daily tasks much harder. It’s like this “mental bucket” has holes in it. They hear something and immediately forget it. He constantly has to re-read the same thing to get it to stick. She seems distracted or unfocused. 

If these situations sound familiar, strengthening working memory may be the best way to overcome learning struggles and make learning easier!

What Does Weak Working Memory Look Like?

Kids with low working memory skills have a high likelihood of experiencing academic struggles, according to research. While every brain is unique and weak cognitive skills impact everyone differently, here are some common signs:

• Frequently needing to reread a text
• Difficulty following multi-step directions
• Trouble staying engaged in the classroom
• Test anxiety, especially with multiple-choice tests
• The need for more time and repetition in order to retain information
• A lack of focus and sustained attention

Beyond these more general concerns, it can also cause specific struggles in reading and math, in particular. Kids who constantly miss steps, who fail to decode efficiently, who struggle with reading comprehension, or who can’t integrate new knowledge with previously learned information may have a working memory weakness.

Working Memory & Learning Differences

Kids with ADHD or dyslexic tendencies often have an accompanying working memory weakness that is making learning harder. In fact, some research points to working memory as a primary root cause of ADHD-like symptoms. 

For individuals with dyslexia or an auditory processing disorder, weak working memory can make it harder to decode new words, apply new concepts to previously learned information, and learn new vocabulary or reading strategies. 

How to Strengthen It

There’s no getting around it: working memory is CRITICAL for successful learning. Your brain has to hold onto information long enough to use it, store it, or connect it with other areas of knowledge. If this “bucket” is leaking, school is going to continue to be a source of stress and frustration.

Here are a few strategies to help strengthen working memory skills:

• Family Game Night: Games like Battleship, Rook, Set, Puzzles, and Memory Games are all great tools to help strengthen this skill in a low-pressure environment. Making learning fun is a great way to help it stick!

• Interactive Games like Simon Says, Telephone, and 20 Questions can also help build auditory and working memory skills for kids. Check out this roundup of road trip games for more interactive game ideas to try as a family!

• Baby Steps (with Rewards!) If your child struggles with multi-step directions or any of the other struggles listed above, targeting these behaviors and correcting them with small, incremental steps can help them build this critical skill. For many kids with weak working memory, planning and organization are also a struggle. They have trouble breaking something down into smaller steps, so modeling that strategy can really help them! (And be honest with them when you see improvement – praise and rewards will help cement these new skills into their brains!)

• Targeted Training. If you have a weak muscle group, you go to the gym and work with a personal trainer to get it stronger so you don’t hurt yourself. Brain training is the same idea, but for your weaker brain skills.

LearningRx has a unique approach to strengthening weak cognitive skills so thinking, learning, remembering, reading, focusing, and other essential life skills get easier. You don’t have to just “figure it out” on your own. You don’t have to just struggle through. Give us a call today to learn more about how we can help!