Understanding Working Memory: Professional Development Workshop
In classrooms, the significance of working memory cannot be overstated, as it fundamentally shapes how pupils engage with their learning. Whilst delivering lessons, teachers must recognise that each pupil’s working memory functions as a temporary mental notepad, essential for processing new information and completing complex tasks. Clever pupils may struggle if their working memory becomes overtaxed, leading to missed instructions and incomplete work, regardless of their intellectual capabilities. Head teachers and staff across the country are increasingly recognising that supporting working memory development requires thoughtful lesson planning and classroom management. To accommodate diverse working memory capacities, teachers ought to present information in bite-sized chunks, employ visual aids, and maintain an organised, calm learning environment. Through careful consideration of working memory limitations, teachers can ensure their pupils grasp new concepts more effectively, follow multi-step instructions with greater success, and develop stronger academic foundations. Indeed, when educators properly support working memory function, they create an inclusive learning environment where all pupils can achieve their full potential.