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– Invoked at the outset of a task when faced with a novel challenge
– Involved in defining the problem which requires the ability to stop, plan, analyze before taking action
• Language – A mediating force for thinking and reasoning
– Must pass, along with cognition through affective states
– Vygotsky (40 years ago) said, speech and language plays a central role in the development of self-control, self-direction, problem solving and task performance.
Recalling from LTM while holding some information in STM.
Example
Retrieving information to answer a question while also remembering all the parts of the question; remembering where you are going and why you are going there while also figuring out how to get there.
Examples of the Functions of Working Memory (cont’d)
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Classroom Language Dynamics
WM Function
Holding together in memory the components of a task while completing the task
Example
“There is no room for all that stuff inside my head. Every single time I try to write, I forget what I am doing. If I think about one thing like spelling, then I forget all about something else, like punctuation; or else, when I have to think hard to figure out what I’m going to write, my handwriting gets really messy.” (10 year old)
Examples of the Functions of Working Memory (cont’d)
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Classroom Language Dynamics
Examples of the Functions of Working Memory (cont’d)
WM Function
Keeping together a series of new pieces of information so that they remain meaningful.
Example
Sounding out multi-syllabic words (remembering the first syllable while working on subsequent syllables and then combining all the syllables to blend them into a word while manipulating the stress pattern); remembering the math procedures and specific facts while performing a multi-step math problem.
Examples of the Functions of Working Memory (cont’d)
WM Function
Holding a long-term plan while thinking about a short-range need
Example
Rushing through math, resulting in a messy paper with careless errors (child feels it is necessary to work fast or risk forgetting what he or she is doing).
Bottom Line: Direct Instruction and Mnemonic Strategies
• Direct Instructional Methods ‒ Small group instruction ‒ Explicit teaching ‒ Awareness of and control of pace ‒ Well-sequenced, focused lessons ‒ Modeling and shaping of correct responses ‒ Reinforcing appropriate responses ‒ Systematic procedures for corrective feedback ‒ Continuous assessment of performance ‒ Lots of repetition and review of material ‒ Emphasis on mastery at each step in learning
process
• Memory (Mnemonic) Strategies ‒ Teach them as part of learning the content ‒ Encourage their use
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