Planning: Executive functions such as attention, inhibition, and emotional regulation impact working memory functioning. Avoid fatigue by establishing a work session of an hour at most, such as 45 minutes of focused work, a 5-minute break for processing, and a 10-minute review. Be sure to recognize the need for processing time to facilitate decision-making. During the revision, have students use notes to identify possible gaps. Leave time between creating the organizer and revising it to allow for mental organization of the information and increased objectivity. Then create an overall structure of subtopics, main ideas, and their logical connections, using outlines, mind maps, graphic organizers, or note cards. Start by activating prior knowledge with a 5- to 10-minute brainstorm. Thus, rather than taxing working memory capacity, information can be accessed more easily from long-term memory as needed. This way, information is more efficiently organized for easy long-term memory storage. For example, creating an organizer provides a review of information, thus increasing the depth of working memory processing. A structured approach is essential when considering the extensive working memory demands. Prewriting: Now that students have created a mental organization framework, they can begin writing. In this way, task analysis serves as a confirmation of students’ understanding of directions and their content knowledge.Ĭonsider the following strategies: intermittent low-stakes testing to support remembering and understanding, student-generated teach-backs for knowledge review and rehearsal, student partnerships for reading directions, and use of step-by-step checklists. Examples provide students with brain priming and enable you to assess retention and comprehension. For example, if they are analyzing the Napoleonic Era, ask them to provide two decisions Napoleon made that led to his defeat. While doing this with your class, ask students for examples of relevant information. Setting Up a Writing Task to Account for Working MemoryĪnalyzing the writing task: Analyzing the assignment and identifying discrete steps creates a structure in working memory, easing the mental organization process. How can we engage students in maximizing their working memory functioning throughout the writing process?Ĭonsider the following strategies: increasing capacity through note-taking, deepening processing with discussion and summarization, and extending retention time with review and revisions. As a result, students may prematurely discard information they need.

For example, gaps in remembering and understanding information slow the process of manipulating and translating information. Writing demands working memory capacity, retention time, and processing depth. Unfortunately, subtle working memory issues may increase these complex writing challenges. At the same time, writing a coherent and well-developed piece requires valuable working memory. Regardless of the focus, we’re familiar with the complicated writing process, which requires brainstorming, organizing, and translating ideas into words while using correct mechanics (punctuation, grammar, sentence structure, etc.). In high school, reflection essays, analysis papers, and literature reviews for English and other courses supplement more traditional summaries and narratives.

Writing to your own memory note taking