Working Memory: The Hidden Skill That Shapes How Children Learn

A guide for parents and teachers

Introduction

When a child struggles with reading, writing or following instructions adults often assume the issue is attention, motivation or effort. But in many cases the real challenge sits quietly behind the scenes: working memory.

Working memory is one of the most important cognitive skills for learning. Weaknesses in working memory is a core marker of dyslexia. This blog explores what working memory is, why it matters and how you can support it at home and in school.

What exactly is working memory

Working memory is the brain’s mental workspace, the place where we temporarily hold and manipulate information. It helps children

• remember the beginning of a sentence while writing the end

• keep track of steps in a maths problem

• follow multi step instructions

• decode a word while still understanding the meaning of the sentence

• organise their thoughts long enough to get them onto the page

  
  

When working memory is overloaded learning becomes exhausting and children can appear distracted, inconsistent or overwhelmed.

How working memory affects learning

Working memory touches almost every part of the school day.

Reading

Children may

• lose their place

• forget what the sentence said

• struggle to blend sounds and hold the word in mind

• find comprehension difficult

  
  

Writing

Writing is one of the most demanding tasks for the brain. A child must juggle

• ideas

• spelling

• punctuation

• handwriting

• sentence structure

If working memory is stretched it may impact on any of these areas.

Maths

Working memory helps children

• remember steps

• hold numbers in mind

• switch between operations

A child may understand the concept but still struggle to complete the task.

Practical ways to support working memory

You do not need expensive tools. Small consistent changes make a big difference.

1. Reduce the load

Break tasks into steps.

Give one instruction at a time.

Use visual checklists.

2. Externalise memory

Whiteboards, sticky notes, timers and simple routines free up mental space.

3. Rehearse information

Saying something aloud or by using your inner voice helps it stay in mind for longer.

4. Slow the pace

Children with working memory challenges often need more processing time.

5. Build in repetition

Repetition strengthens neural pathways especially for phonics, spelling and number facts.

6. Use multisensory strategies

Learning through seeing, hearing, touching and doing helps anchor information more securely.

How assessment helps

A full dyslexia assessment includes standardised measures of working memory. This helps families understand

• if this is an area of weakness

• how to adapt learning

• which strategies will help

Final thoughts

Working memory is not about intelligence, it is about capacity. And capacity can be supported.

When adults understand the demands we place on a child’s brain we can reduce overload, build confidence and create learning environments where children feel capable and understood.

If you would like to explore more ideas in this area Dr Erica Warren is a well respected voice who shares accessible strengths based guidance on working memory and multi-sensory learning.