Supporting Long-Term Memory in the Classroom

Milton J. Dehn, Ed.D., NCSPSchoolhouse Educational Services

ESC Webinar, February 2013

Notice of Copyright, 2013

This PowerPoint and accompanying materials are copyrighted by Milton J. Dehn and Schoolhouse Educational Services, LLC. All rights reserved. No photocopying, electronic display, or electronic dissemination of these materials is allowed without written permission. For permission, contact milt@psychprocesses.com

Workshop Information Sources

• References in handout packet• Books by Dehn: Long-Term Memory Problems

in Children and Adolescents (2010); Helping Students Remember (2011).

• www.psychprocesses.com• www.workingmemoryonline.com• www.schoolhouseeducationalservices.com• Presenter Contact Info:

milt@psychprocesses.com

Today’s Case Studies

1. College student who had cancerous brain tumors

2. Elementary student with seizure disorder

Instructional Practices & Memory Interventions for the Classroom

1. For Tier I2. They are evidence-based Tier I3. For educational environments4. One-on-one, small group, classroom wide5. Early elementary through adulthood6. Improvements are more in academic

performance rather than academic skills

Instructional Practices that Support Memory

1. All students benefit when classroom wide2. Consistent with effective teaching practices3. Support students’ memory limitations4. Many of these instructional practices can be

done independently by older students

LT Memory Screening for Young Children

1. Learning: “Learning” subtest from WJ III COG or KABC-II

2. Do Delayed Recall of above subtests3. Do “Story Recall” and Delayed Recall from WJ

III ACH4. Retrieval: Rapid Automatic Naming and

Retrieval Fluency subtests

Strong WM SupportsEncoding and Retrieval

1. Reduce the “cognitive load” on the learner’s WM

2. The student can make more effective use of existing WM capabilities by learning to use strategies

3. Directly increase WM capacity through the use of training exercises

Cognitive Load Reduction

1. Well designed instruction reduces load1. Leaves capacity for retention & encoding of info.

2. Or, allow processing without need to remember; e.g. facts in writing are available

3. Or, processing reminders are available4. Teach students to alternate between

processing and refreshing5. Students learn under low load conditions

Reducing Cognitive Load

1. Only one step, process at a time2. Allow time for processing and rehearsal 3. Allow self-paced processing4. Provide external memory aids5. Quite learning environment6. Organized materials and presentations7. Worked, partially-completed examples

1. Keep adding more for student to complete

Reducing Cognitive Load

1. Sequence material from simple to complex2. Present material in an integrated way3. Include visual presentation4. Side by side information (being able to see as

all the information in an integrated fashion) better than stacked information (e.g. computers)

5. Avoid load that is not related or necessary to the learning (extraneous load)

WM and Automaticity

1. Mastery or fluency frees up WM resources1. Reading decoding and reading comprehension

2. Math problem solving3. Written language

1. Organization and coordination4. Long-term structures free up WM5. Automaticity equals faster processing6. Automaticity allows working memory to do

more active encoding

General Skills to Teach Studentfor Reducing Cognitive Load

1. Ask for help and repetition2. Take notes 3. Be organized4. Don’t self-overload; one task/step at a time5. Learn to use memory aids

The Mnemonic Classroom

1. Is a memory-focused classroom2. Focus on instructional methods that support

all memory processes3. Teacher has memory expertise; understands

how LTM functions4. Educates students about memory5. Teaches memory strategies/mnemonics6. Conveys message that you can improve your

memory

The Mnemonic Classroom

1. Teacher uses instructional methods that support long-term memory

2. Is aware of what the hippocampus needs3. Provides interference breaks4. Reminds students to be memory-focused5. Knows LTM General Principles6. Mnemonic instruction improves academic

learning

LTM General Principles

1. Consistent with brain/memory processing2. Deeper processing3. Associations are made with memory

networks that are currently activated4. Dual encoding creates more pathways5. Retrieval strengthens pathways6. Easier to remember when makes sense7. Organization helps

LTM Principles

7. Attach emotions or use music8. Spaced, expanding-interval review helps9. Self-generated elaboration, cues are best10. Adequate metamemory required11. Reduce interference12. Testing environment should be the sameSee Others

Rehearsal Strategies

1. Most have by age 10; 1st graders can learn2. Serial and cumulative repetitive process3. Repeat first word until next delivered then

add next word to the repetition4. Increase length of list 5. First aloud, then subvocal6. Good maintenance if overlearned

Repetition

1. Timing is important1. Immediate for working memory and encoding 2. Delayed for long-term consolidation

2. Some students with memory problems seem not to benefit from immediate repetitions

3. Developmentally: Comes first but more elaborate practices and strategies needed for older students

Dual Encoding

1. Instructors should make it both verbal and visual or give students time to recode

2. Instruct students to visualize verbal info.3. Instruct students to name/describe visual-

spatial info.4. Increases the number of pathways available

for retrieval

Verbal Memory Strategy: Elaboration

1. Relate new info. with previous2. Facilitates encoding and LTM organization,

consolidation, retrieval3. Teachers should provide for young child4. In-depth versus superficial processing5. Ties info. with appropriate schema6. Simple way: Asking and answering the “Why

does this make sense” question

Elaboration Instructional Steps

1. Recall related prior knowledge; previewing, advance organizers, or think about

2. Remind them of more related knowledge3. Directly state the links; how they are related

1. Use examples and nonexamples

4. Link to handout

Distributed/Spaced Practice1. More efficient than massed/daily review2. Strengthens neural pathways3. Increases learning by 15%4. Builds on remembered information5. Supports consolidation & semantic memory6. Review should be about the time information is

beginning to decay7. Expanding interval works best

1. Keep doubling the interval2. E.g., 1, 2, 4 days, 1, 2, 4 week intervals Handout

Retrieval

1. More in storage than can be retrieved2. Retrieval blocked by interference3. Student should retrieve from LTM, not STM4. More effective than just reviewing5. More effective when info is partially forgotten---

expanding interval6. Strengthens recall for related info.7. Supports consolidation and reconsolidation8. Testing and self-testing

Periodic Testing

1. Extremely effective2. Works because retrieval is required3. Can be self-testing4. First quiz immediately or within a day5. Expanding intervals like periodic review6. Not limited to items actually tested7. Encoding specificity principle

Corrective Feedback

1. The sooner the better2. Prevents learning and storage of errors3. Improves retention up to 5X4. Needs to be specific5. Allow student time to process it6. Self-correcting if teacher can’t do

Encoding Specificity Principle

1. Aka transfer appropriate processing2. Improved recall when study format matches

testing/recall format3. The structure of the test cues recall because

that’s how it was learned

Self-Testing

• From flash cards or review sheet

• Why does it work?– Periodic review– Encoding specificity – Retrieval

PQRST

1. Preview and skim the passage2. Generate at least four questions that need

answers, such as who, what, when, and where

3. Actively read the passage while seeking answers to the questions

4. Study the information See Handout5. Self-test answers to the questions6. Dehn’s option: Insert the “why” question

Context Cues

1. Within the first week or so, retrieval of info is from episodic memory, not semantic

2. Episodic cues facilitate recall: smell, objects, colors, feelings, etc.

3. Testing in an environment other than the actual learning environment lowers test scores by as much as 30%

4. Teach students to recall the environment when they are tested elsewhere

Study Skills that Enhance Memory

1. Study cards2. Review sheets3. Review schedule4. Note taking and studying from notes5. Organization6. Relaxation, focus, and interference7. Selecting, modifying, & combining strategies

Improving Recall During Tests

1. Context cues2. Elaboration3. Take time4. Recognition

Reducing Interference

1. Similarity and too much info at once2. Switch topics; take breaks3. Take naps; study before sleep4. Quite environment5. Example of interference: Wrong source

Tier III Classroom Interventions

Compared with Tier II, they are:• Longer• More practice• More individualizedAlso:• Data-driven• Linked with academic deficiencies

Errorless Learning

1. Especially for amnesic cases2. Prevent learning of errors; unlearning of

errors is difficult3. Prevent guessing; supply most of the answer

at first4. Allows learning through implicit system5. Learners may not recall having learned but

they can learn skills

External Memory Aids

1. Diaries or journals2. Alarms and timers3. Reminders provided by computers4. Schedules and assignment calendars5. Checklists with step-by-step procedures6. Folders for organizing notes and materials7. Lists of activities that need to be completed8. Step-by-step instructions for using a strategy 9. 4 – 8 would go in memory book Link

Examples of LTM Accommodations

1. Inform student of exam dates well in advance to allow for periodic review

2. Provide review sheets in same format as tests3. Provide notes of lectures4. Allow students procedural checklists5. Recognition testing: word banks, etc.6. Extended time on testing; notes during test

College Case Study

1. Cancerous brain tumors at age 162. Affected vision and memory3. Originally an A-B student, now failing4. Both episodic memory & semantic probs.5. Prospective memory problems6. Metamemory not realistic7. Working memory okay8. Develop intervention plan for him

College Case Methods (Self-Applied Instructional Methods)

1. Preview text, elaborate with “why” question2. Metamemory and interference breaks3. Self-made review sheet4. Periodic review schedule5. Self-testing (retrieval)6. Testing strategies to enhance retrieval7. Memory book

College Case: 504 Plan

1. Notetaker2. Extended testing time3. Use of class notes for some exams

College Case Outcomes

1. Started on academic probation2. 2.5 at end of first semester with intervention3. 3.5 at end of two-year college program4. Student gained confidence5. Continued residing with parents

Elementary, 6-Year Old Case Study

Kindergarten concerns: attention problems; memory problems; speech and language production problems; emotional problems, such as anxiety; difficulties learning colors, letters, and numbers; and problems recognizing and generating rhyming words, inconsistent performance; frustration when tasks become difficult for him; a need for directions to be repeated; difficulty initiating a task; staring off into space when someone is speaking to him; word retrieval problems; difficulty pronouncing words; word retrieval problems

Elementary Case Risk Factors

1. Blood clot in umbilical cord2. Abusive father; stressful home environment3. ADHD4. Executive dysfunctions but very self-aware5. Speech/language delay and disorder6. Seizure disorder

Elementary Case Previous Interventions

1. RTI Math: Failed to respond adequately2. Tutoring at home by special ed. teacher3. Earobics4. Phonemic awareness training

Assessment Results

1. Full Scale IQ of 1132. Weak short-term memory3. Working memory borderline low average4. Weak long-term memory

1. Encoding2. Consolidation3. Retrieval

Elementary Case Diagnosis

1. ADHD (on meds)2. Language Disorder (speech/lang. therapy)3. LD4. Seizure Disorder (on meds)5. Placed under OHI

Elementary Case: Classroom Recommendations

1. Interference breaks2. Help minimize stress3. Extended testing time and read to 4. Repeating information5. Provides pictures when possible 6. Reminders of step-by-step procedures7. Provide prompts and cues when retrieval is

difficult

How to Encourage Teachers to Be Mnemonic Based

1. Start them out with suggestions for just one or two methods

2. What approach would you use to get the classroom teacher to “buy in”? Explain payoff

3. How would you explain the method?4. How might you facilitate and support

implementation in the classroom?1. Let them know it works for those with problems