Help for parents
As a parent of a 10 year old who is struggling in school, even with an Individualized Education Program, what hope is there to catch up our child? He’s realizing that he is not able, and is now suffering with self-confidence. In the US this is not well known, what tools are available?
-Cheryl, AZ
The term ‘working memory’ refers to the capacity to store and manipulate information for brief periods of time. It provides a mental workspace that is used in many important activities in learning. Working memory is a pure measure of a child’s learning potential. As it is not influenced by the child’s prior experiences such as pre-school education, or their socio-economic background, it tells us about a child’s capacity to learn. In contrast, school-based assessments or even IQ tests measure knowledge that the child has already learned.
Behaviors in the classroom characteristic of children with working memory impairments include: failing to obey instructions, not listening, being in a world of his own, and not being able to copy sentences from the board. It is very common that students with poor working memory begin to lose their confidence. They feel unmotivated as every time they try, they can’t remember what they are supposed to do.
There are a few options available to you.
1. The first option is to receive a professional psychological report on your child’s working memory profile, ways in which it will impact their learning, and suggested strategies that the classroom teacher can use, as well as additional activities that you can use at home. This professional report will also take into account any other psychological assessments to provide you with a complete picture of your child’s cognitive skills and the link to working memory. This is suitable for 5 to 16 year olds. More details are available here, click on Expert Consultation. This is an online assessment and has been used by parents in the USA and the UK, as well as around the world. Feedback from other parents is available HERE.
3. The next option is a cognitive training program that we are using in schools across the UK, USA, and Australia. In a recent scientific study, JungleMemory© was found to improve not only working memory but IQ, Reading, and Math. The students who used the program increased their grades from a C to a B, and from a B to an A in just 8 weeks. This is very exciting, as other programs have not demonstrated such an improvement. This is suitable for 6 to 16 year olds and is endorsed by the Psychological Corporation.
For more information, go to the homepage and click on each bullet point. You can also try a free demo and watch a short video presentation HERE.
