Memory: Being Able to Retrieve and Work with Information


Memory is an important skill that affects academic achievement and is critical to many learning tasks and daily living activities. Examples include reading, writing, using a calculator, problem solving, making connections to prior knowledge, and much more. Teachers need instructional design strategies to support student memory, and students need tools and techniques to help strengthen memory as well as provide scaffolding and support when memory is a problem. Sometimes very simple tools and strategies can make a big difference.

There are several different types of models that people use to try to understand what memory is and how it works. For our purposes we will take a simplistic approach. Generally, a memory can be viewed as a network of parts of the brain that "fire" or are activated at the same time. This network is sometimes referred to as an engram. Working memory refers to the ability to take in information and use it while taking in more information. It is being able to work with information coming in (the input processing) and at the same time using that information (the integration processing) in order to solve problems, complete assignments, etc.

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The stronger the engrams, or chemical networks/memories, are the easier it is for students to remember information and put it in working memory. So the more parts of the brain that are activated in an engram, the stronger the memory. Have you ever smelled something and suddenly remembered something in your past? What do you think of when you see the word "cinnamon." Do you think of a taste, a food, a spice, a color? Do you remember a place, an event? The more mentally complex a memory the easier it is to recall. So adding pictures to vocabulary words can help with memory. Having students draw pictures to go with concepts, and explain verbally how their pictures represent the concepts can also improve recall because they have the concept, imagery, analysis thinking, and verbalization all working together to help remember that concept.

Long Term Potentiation and Long Term Depression are two terms sometimes used to describe how memory works. Without getting technical, long term potentiation refers to strengthening engrams (memories) and long term depression refers to weakening engrams (memories). Both are important processes in how memory works and how our brain deals with new knowledge. The more you practice or process something the stronger the engram or memory can become. That's long term potentiation. For some students, however, new knowledge can weaken old memories. So as they continually work on new engrams or new memories other memories can become weaker, especially if they are related. How many times have you seen students work on historical information (dates, events, etc.) and "lose" the dates and events from a prior lesson as they process new dates and events during a new lesson? When new information is being processed that is similar to old information, the old information should be processed as well in order to strengthen those memories. Compare and contrast activities can be very useful, along with timelines, graphic organizers, and other integration tools and strategies.

Strategies for supporting memory.
  • Processing, or reading through, the content several times, each time with a different focus (e.g. making personal connections with the text, asking questions, analyzing the structure, reading for understanding, reviewing).
  • Creating visual graphic organizers or timelines to help organize the information.
  • Creating illustrations for parts of the information and explaining the thinking behind the illustrations.
  • Comparing and contrasting different ideas, events, concepts, etc.
  • Maintaining a journal and reviewing the journal on a regular basis.
  • Using flash card type tools to review facts and events.
  • Use screen capture tools on interactive whiteboards to save work and then review that work the next day.
  • Use a spiral curriculum sequence where you continually address and revisit the grade level standards for a course throughout the year.
  • Provide each student a book of sets of instructions, formulas, rubrics, guidelines, etc. that they can use all year as a reference tool.
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