What Teachers Need to Know About Kids’ Memory

Memory is essential to all types of learning. So much, in fact, that sometimes it’s hard to make a clear distinction between the two concepts. Fortunately, there’s an abundance of psychological research dedicated to these topics. The findings can help teachers, as well as homeschooling parents, better understand how to work with their students or kids. 

It goes without saying that knowing how kids’ memory works and subsequently how children learn is crucial for finding the best practices in the education of children of different age groups and for different subjects, or even topics. Not only will this knowledge make you a better educator, but it will enhance the children’s performance by increasing their learning potential. Moreover, since practice makes perfect, implementing the most effective learning tools concerning the memory capacity of children will boost their cognitive skills. 

Therefore, being a better teacher and helping your students to do better at school starts right here – with you learning a little bit more about kids’ memories through school age. 

Keep reading to find out more about the nature of memory in general, memory development, different memory skills, and ways to improve working memory in kids. 

The Nature of Memory

Before we delve into the specifics of kids’ memory, let’s talk about the nature of memory in people regardless of age. 

The first thing teachers need to know is that the nature of memory is both reconstructive and reproductive. Reproductive memory means that children will store and later retrieve an exact copy of the information they’ve received. On the other hand, reconstructive memory means that the information children store will interact with previous knowledge, experience, and other cognitive processes, which will affect retrieval (Cambridge University Press, 2010). The dominant view in psychology is that episodic memories are reconstructive, while semantic memories are reproductive (both of which are types of long-term memory) (Salvaggio, 2018). 

In the classroom, this means that children can effectively reproduce the names of colors, the sounds of letters, the capitals of countries, and other basic facts (semantic memory), but to learn the meaning behind concepts, how things work, or acquiring specific skills, they’ll need to rely on the integration of all types of memory, including episodic (highly reconstructive process) and procedural memory.

But, let’s take a step back. What exactly is episodic, semantic, and procedural memory? How many types are there? And more importantly, why are these distinctions important for teachers?

Types of Memory

In order to explain all the different processes that allow people to use the information and learn, researchers distinguish between two main types of memory: short-term memory and long-term memory. As the names suggest, these different types of memory are evoked in different periods of time, suggesting that there might be different stores for things that happened a few days ago relative to several years ago (Jamie Ward, 2006).

Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory is defined as the process of currently holding information in mind. It’s characterized by a very limited capacity of around seven (plus or minus two) items in adults, and even less than that in children. However, it’s still unclear whether these limitations are due to lower memory capacity or less effective processing strategies and slower processing speeds in children (Michelene T. H. Chi, 1976). 

The implications of this would be that children think differently because they still haven’t developed all the cognitive functions as adults have, and they process information slower. An adult might be able to remember a word or a number and write it down immediately or after brief retention, even if you say it fast or you never repeat it. Children, on the other hand, might not even process (perceive or encode) the word or number if you speak fast, which means they won’t have any information to remember in the first place. This gradually gets better with age. 

The basic guiding advice for teachers that follows from this is to speak slowly and clearly when teaching kids. Have patience and repeat the task requirements multiple times because, as we have seen, children need time to process and remember things. By remembering, in the context of short-term memory, we mean holding the information in mind while working on a particular task. If the information doesn’t enter the long-term memory, then after a while it will be forgotten (a normal process in both children and adults).

The most notable example of the process of short-term memory is when we hear a number and hold it in memory or repeat it in our head until we find a piece of paper to write it down.

Working Memory

There’s a lot of content on the internet dedicated to working memory, and more often than not, this concept is interchangeably used with the concept of short-term memory. However, the more accurate representation of things is to say that the concept of working memory is an extension of short-term memory. 

The major difference between short-term memory and working memory is that the latter emphasizes a wider role in cognition (perception, recognition, reasoning, comprehension, etc.) – not just one mechanism. Short-term memory is usually regarded as passive retention of information (like the telephone number in the example above) and anything beyond that, which usually includes manipulation of information, is referred to as working memory. 

When people plan action or prepare to execute a specific task, they use working memory. It’s a necessary condition that allows us to have a conversation by holding in mind and using previously said information to draw conclusions and follow a logical sequence. 

Just like short-term memory, the capacity of working memory increases with age and acts as a predictor for cognitive performance. Many studies have found a strong correlation between working memory capacity and success in education. 

In 2018, Li, Yaoran, and Geary, David C., found that strong working memory in kids predicts mathematics achievement throughout adolescence. But, working memory seems to be a predictor for achievement in more than just mathematics. Even in children with learning difficulties, the capacity of working memory predicts learning achievements better than IQ. (Alloway, 2009). 

These findings suggest that teachers need to pay attention to the kids’ working memory by implementing memory assessment tools and techniques for improving the cognitive processes involved in working memory. Before the end of the article, we’ll take a look at the most common and effective techniques for improving kids’ memory in more detail. 

For now, let’s take a look at the second main type of memory – long-term memory.

Long-Term Memory

What we’ve talked about so far was short-term memory, or in other words, the process of holding information in the head while conversing, thinking about something, planning an action, executing a task, etc. However, to be successful in education, children need to gain knowledge and skills that will last a lifetime. This can only be possible if the information is encoded and stored in long-term memory. 

The concept of long-term memory is the process of storing information in contrast to just holding them in mind for a specific amount of time. The characteristics of long-term memory are permanent storage (unless the information is forgotten, naturally or due to a disease) and relative access to information. The second characteristic refers to the fact that the information in the long-term memory is not always accessible to us (unconscious memory) and the capacity is so large, some say unlimited, that we don’t access everything at all times. For example, you know many facts about your hometown, but unless we ask you to think about them, they’re not present in your consciousness. 

The conscious accessibility is also the condition based on which long-term memory is further subdivided into declarative (explicit) and non-declarative (implicit) memory. 

Declarative (explicit) memory is a type of long-term memory that can be consciously accessed i.e declared. It consists of two subtypes: semantic and episodic memory. Semantic memory refers to general knowledge about the world, facts, names, etc. Episodic memory consists of events that happened to the individual – everything that’s personally experienced.

Non-declarative (implicit) memory is not consciously accessible and consists of procedural memory and priming. Procedural memory refers to skills or “how-to” tasks. Psychologists believe that recalling information from the procedural memory is not a conscious process. A good example would be a child learning to read. Reading is a skill and when doing it, the child isn’t aware that they’re accessing memories about the names, sounds, and symbols of letters or words.

These distinctions are important for teachers because they’re somewhat independent of each other, which means that some learning difficulties or disorders can impair one type of memory, but not another. It would be beneficial if teachers can identify these difficulties and know whether they’re part of the normal development or an indication of an underlying memory problem. In our “Common Memory Problems in Children” we’ll go over the most common memory disorders as a function of the main four types of memory (short-term (working) memory, episodic memory, semantic memory, and procedural memory), so keep reading. 

Memory Across the Ages: What Teachers Need to Know

Yes, it seems like knowing what’s normal and what’s expected from children in different age groups is the most important question, but also the most difficult one to answer, even for scientists. Determining “normal” standards is always a problem as there are great variabilities in the development of children even for the most basic milestones like learning to walk or speak. 

Still, some studies offer a basic guide in what teachers and parents can expect. Some researches found evidence that working memory steadily improves as children grow and suggest that adults usually perform twice as well as young children (4-5 years old) (Gathercole  and Alloway 2004). If we consider that the typical working memory capacity of adults is 7 items (plus-minus two), then young children can only hold around 4 items. But this depends on many things, like the nature of the task, the period of retention, which means this should really be taken with a grain of salt. The only real way of assessing the memory capacity of children is through standardized tests administered by a licensed professional. 

School psychologists can work together with teachers to assess the kids’ memory. Two tests are most commonly used, and they require teachers to rate the frequency of behavioral symptoms related to poor memory skills in kids. Child psychologists analyze and interpret the results. Some of these tests include the Working Memory Rating Scale for Children (Alloway et al., 2008), Behaviour Rating Inventory of Executive Function (Gioia et al., 2000), and the Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM). 

Poor Memory Skills in Kids

Unfortunately, the number of children struggling with poor memory skills is way too high. Some researchers estimate that around 10-15% of school-age children have poor memory skills. (Holmes et al 2009). 

The cognitive profile of poor memory skills in kids include a wide range of cognitive difficulties that affect learning, planning, problem-solving, and even sustained attention. When these difficulties are more severe, they’re also associated with below-average IQ and a number of developmental learning disorders. 

Teachers can help kids by identifying the early signs and then consult with parents and professionals. 

The early signs that might indicate memory problems in kids include: 

• Repeatedly forgetting major life events (episodic memory problems).
• Not remembering the rules or elements necessary for participating in group activities. 
• Having trouble following instructions. 
• Difficulty in finishing a task because they get distracted half-way. 
• Remembering they played a game, but not who they played with or how the game was called (semantic memory problems). 
• Difficulty in retelling a story immediately after hearing it, or forgetting key elements of it. 

These signs sometimes indicate a problem with memory, but most times can be a result of other difficulties, trauma, or stress. It’s important to include other factors when diagnosing a child with poor memory. 

High Memory Skills in Kids

The other side of the coin, equally important, is to recognize the kids with high memory skills. The reason for this is that, sometimes, these children can show signs of frustration and loss of motivation if they feel that they’re not challenged by the regular school assignments. You can easily solve this problem by organizing an additional weekly class with more advanced assignments according to the students’ interests. 

For teachers, it’s important to know that kids with high memory skills learn faster and more efficiently, but they’re not necessarily smarter. While it’s true that memory is a key component of intelligence, it’s not the only one and some problem-solving skills or logical reasoning might not be affected at all. 

Common Memory Problems in Children

Before we go into the final chapter of this article on whether teachers can improve kids’ memory skills and how to do that, let’s consider the most common memory problems in children which will help teachers recognize potential developmental issues. 

Some memory problems in kids occur as part of their natural development. In this context, a very young child might not remember where they put their toy because many cognitive processes are not fully developed. Also, adolescents are frequently clumsy and forgetful as their head is “in the clouds,” meaning they’re preoccupied with social relationships – again, a normal part of development. 

Memory problems can also be caused by severe stress, emotional or physical trauma, and sleeping or eating problems. Moreover, some hormonal disbalances and drug abuse also impact memory skills.

Finally, memory problems can be caused by some specific developmental disorders. According to a study published in the Handbook of Clinical Neurology, the following disorders are the most common memory disorders in children. 

Short-term and Working Memory Disorders 

Selective short-term memory disorders without any other cognitive deficit are extremely rare. This is probably because most SMD (short-term memory disorders) are caused by head trauma, tumors, or other injuries to specific parts of the brain. SMD memory disorders are usually observed when there is a broader cognitive impairment. These include: 

• Dyslexia and other language impairments;
• Landau-Kleffner syndrome;
• Down syndrome;
• Williams syndrome; 
• Syndromes related to the X-chromosomes.  

Episodic Long-term Memory Disorders

Problems with long-term memory usually include inability or poor ability to perform to-do tasks, and forgetting appointments or activities that happened to the child a few hours or days/weeks ago. And, although this impairs academic performance, semantic and procedural memory are unaffected, which means children can still learn through repeated exposure. Typical causes of episodic long-term memory disorders include: 

• Traumatic brain injury (in 50% of children with episodic memory loss);
• Brain tumors;
• Epileptic disorders; 
• ADHD;
• Genetic disorders (Rett syndrome, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, and others). 

Other Memory Associated Disorders

• Late-onset temporal lobe epilepsy;
• Fragile X syndrome;
• Developmental amnesia.

How To Improve Working Memory in Kids 

Last but not least, what happens when teachers identify a kid with memory problems in schools? How can they help in improving kids’ memory in the classroom? 

Unfortunately, teachers can’t improve kids’ memory (especially when there’s an underlying cause), but they can identify the problems and share them with parents and the school’s psychologist. This way, teachers play a crucial role in the early detection of memory problems in kids, which can stop the progression of symptoms with the right therapy. 

Another way teachers can help children with memory problems is by adjusting their lessons and educational practices to better suit the needs of the kids with poor memory skills. Here are some tips, beneficial for kids with poor memory skills in general: 

• Talk slowly and break down tasks into smaller parts;
• Give written instructions and leave children to re-read them as needed; 
• Frequently remind children what they should do next;
• Ask children to repeat what you’ve said out loud in their own words; 
• Introduce mnemonic techniques and help children learn how to use them; 
• Do informal memory testing for your own feedback with simple reproduction tasks; 
• Ask why questions about the material which will help the kids make connections between different parts of the material;
• Include different activities, learn through play, learn through senses, and do other activities that might help them overcome their memory issues. 

Do Memory Games Help? 

Advances in technology brought hope in computer-based training programs that might help kids with memory problems. However, the effects of such programs did not reach the high expectations of many people. We can’t say that memory games don’t help, especially if they’re adaptive and become harder over time, but the problem is they don’t affect general memory skills. What this means is that children who trained with memory games showed improvement only on tasks that closely resemble the games, not in other situations dependent on memory. 

Before You Leave

Kids’ memory is a crucial aspect of learning, which means it has a great impact on children’s performance in school. Teachers, as well as homeschooling parents, are the first ones who can recognize the onset and specificity of these problems. For these reasons, knowing about kids’ memory and common problems is almost a moral responsibility of educators. The impact of being able to recognize such issues early on can stop or slow down progressive disorders and ensure proper care for affected children.

Hopefully, our article will raise awareness and make you more competent in recognizing early memory issues in kids. That being said, don’t hesitate to contact a professional, such as a school psychologist and the parents if you have any doubts about some of your students. Parents can also give teachers context, which would explain changes in kids’ behavior. A good example would be a loss of a pet which can make children distracted, unmotivated, and forgetful. 

If you need more help in how to organize your lessons and help kids with memory issues, feel free to browse our worksheet library as our teaching resources are very easy to follow and even easier to edit according to the children’s current cognitive level. 

Finally, we’ll continue to share informative and educational articles for teachers and homeschooling parents, so follow our blog regularly.