Working Memory - The New IQ


What is Working Memory?


“Working memory is the cognitive function responsible for keeping information online, manipulating it, and using it in your thinking. It is the way that you delegate the things you encounter to the parts of your brain that can take action. In this way, working memory is necessary for staying focused on a task, blocking out distractions, and keeping you updated and aware about what’s going on around you.” – Cogmed

Working memory is your brain’s Post-it note. You can think of it as the active part of your memory system. It’s like mental juggling – as information comes in, you process it at the same time as you store it. A child uses this skill when doing math calculations or listening to a story, for example. She has to hold onto the numbers while working with them; or, she needs to remember the sequence of events and also think of what the story is about. – NCLD

Working memory impacts hugely on a child's academic progress. The great news is that it is something that can be worked on and developed over time.

Simple memory games, singing nursery rhymes, doing puzzles and following a sequence of instructions are all useful ways to help a child develop their working memory.

If your child struggles to focus on a task, gets easily distracted, needs to be told what to do over and over again, becomes easily frustrated by what you would think of as simple tasks, struggles to develop in academic areas like reading, writing and maths, their working memory may be an issue.

This site (Jungle Memory) was recommended by Neil Mckay, who specialises in helping children with learning differences. There is a cost to the eight week subscription, but he said it is backed by research and has shown to greatly assist the development of working memory. If you child is seven or older and is struggling with learning, it is definitely worth a try!


"Jungle Memory is unique because it is specifically developed for children and they offer far more resources than your average brain training app.
About Jungle Memory

Developed from cutting-edge science, Jungle Memory is an online brain trainer for children that helps to develop working memory. Intended for children age 7 to 16 years old, Jungle Memory is scientifically proven to boost learning outcomes for students."


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