Supporting Long-Term Memory in the Classroom Milton J. Dehn, Ed.D., NCSP Schoolhouse Educational Services ESC Webinar, February 2013

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Workshop Information Sources References in handout packet Books by Dehn: Long-Term Memory Problems in Children and Adolescents (2010); Helping Students Remember (2011) Presenter Contact Info:

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 I 2.They are evidence-based Tier I 3.For educational environments 4.One-on-one, small group, classroom wide 5.Early elementary through adulthood 6.Improvements are more in academic performance rather than academic skills

Instructional Practices that Support Memory 1.All students benefit when classroom wide 2.Consistent with effective teaching practices 3.Support students’ memory limitations 4.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 subtests 3.Do “Story Recall” and Delayed Recall from WJ III ACH 4.Retrieval: Rapid Automatic Naming and Retrieval Fluency subtests

Strong WM Supports Encoding 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 load 1.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 available 4.Teach students to alternate between processing and refreshing 5.Students learn under low load conditions

Reducing Cognitive Load 1.Only one step, process at a time 2.Allow time for processing and rehearsal 3.Allow self-paced processing 4.Provide external memory aids 5.Quite learning environment 6.Organized materials and presentations 7.Worked, partially-completed examples 1.Keep adding more for student to complete

Reducing Cognitive Load 1.Sequence material from simple to complex 2.Present material in an integrated way 3.Include visual presentation 4.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 resources 1.Reading decoding and reading comprehension 2.Math problem solving 3.Written language 1.Organization and coordination 4.Long-term structures free up WM 5.Automaticity equals faster processing 6.Automaticity allows working memory to do more active encoding

General Skills to Teach Student for Reducing Cognitive Load 1.Ask for help and repetition 2.Take notes 3.Be organized 4.Don’t self-overload; one task/step at a time 5.Learn to use memory aids

The Mnemonic Classroom 1.Is a memory-focused classroom 2.Focus on instructional methods that support all memory processes 3.Teacher has memory expertise; understands how LTM functions 4.Educates students about memory 5.Teaches memory strategies/mnemonics 6.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 needs 3.Provides interference breaks 4.Reminds students to be memory-focused 5.Knows LTM General Principles 6.Mnemonic instruction improves academic learning

LTM General Principles 1.Consistent with brain/memory processing 2.Deeper processing 3.Associations are made with memory networks that are currently activated 4.Dual encoding creates more pathways 5.Retrieval strengthens pathways 6.Easier to remember when makes sense 7.Organization helps

LTM Principles 7.Attach emotions or use music 8.Spaced, expanding-interval review helps 9.Self-generated elaboration, cues are best 10.Adequate metamemory required 11.Reduce interference 12.Testing environment should be the same See Others

Rehearsal Strategies 1.Most have by age 10; 1 st graders can learn 2.Serial and cumulative repetitive process 3.Repeat first word until next delivered then add next word to the repetition 4.Increase length of list 5.First aloud, then subvocal 6.Good maintenance if overlearned

Repetition 1.Timing is important 1.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 previous 2.Facilitates encoding and LTM organization, consolidation, retrieval 3.Teachers should provide for young child 4.In-depth versus superficial processing 5.Ties info. with appropriate schema 6.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 knowledge 3.Directly state the links; how they are related 1.Use examples and nonexamples 4.Link to handoutLink to handout

Distributed/Spaced Practice 1.More efficient than massed/daily review 2.Strengthens neural pathways 3.Increases learning by 15% 4.Builds on remembered information 5.Supports consolidation & semantic memory 6.Review should be about the time information is beginning to decay 7.Expanding interval works best 1.Keep doubling the interval 2.E.g., 1, 2, 4 days, 1, 2, 4 week intervals HandoutHandout

Retrieval 1.More in storage than can be retrieved 2.Retrieval blocked by interference 3.Student should retrieve from LTM, not STM 4.More effective than just reviewing 5.More effective when info is partially forgotten--- expanding interval 6.Strengthens recall for related info. 7.Supports consolidation and reconsolidation 8.Testing and self-testing

Periodic Testing 1.Extremely effective 2.Works because retrieval is required 3.Can be self-testing 4.First quiz immediately or within a day 5.Expanding intervals like periodic review 6.Not limited to items actually tested 7.Encoding specificity principle

Corrective Feedback 1.The sooner the better 2.Prevents learning and storage of errors 3.Improves retention up to 5X 4.Needs to be specific 5.Allow student time to process it 6.Self-correcting if teacher can’t do

Encoding Specificity Principle 1.Aka transfer appropriate processing 2.Improved recall when study format matches testing/recall format 3.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 passage 2.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 HandoutSee Handout 5.Self-test answers to the questions 6.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 cards 2.Review sheets 3.Review schedule 4.Note taking and studying from notes 5.Organization 6.Relaxation, focus, and interference 7.Selecting, modifying, & combining strategies

Improving Recall During Tests 1.Context cues 2.Elaboration 3.Take time 4.Recognition

Reducing Interference 1.Similarity and too much info at once 2.Switch topics; take breaks 3.Take naps; study before sleep 4.Quite environment 5.Example of interference: Wrong source

Tier III Classroom Interventions Compared with Tier II, they are: Longer More practice More individualized Also: Data-driven Linked with academic deficiencies

Errorless Learning 1.Especially for amnesic cases 2.Prevent learning of errors; unlearning of errors is difficult 3.Prevent guessing; supply most of the answer at first 4.Allows learning through implicit system 5.Learners may not recall having learned but they can learn skills

External Memory Aids 1.Diaries or journals 2.Alarms and timers 3.Reminders provided by computers 4.Schedules and assignment calendars 5.Checklists with step-by-step procedures 6.Folders for organizing notes and materials 7.Lists of activities that need to be completed 8.Step-by-step instructions for using a strategy 9.4 – 8 would go in memory book LinkLink

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 tests 3.Provide notes of lectures 4.Allow students procedural checklists 5.Recognition testing: word banks, etc. 6.Extended time on testing; notes during test

College Case Study 1.Cancerous brain tumors at age 16 2.Affected vision and memory 3.Originally an A-B student, now failing 4.Both episodic memory & semantic probs. 5.Prospective memory problems 6.Metamemory not realistic 7.Working memory okay 8.Develop intervention plan for him

College Case Methods (Self-Applied Instructional Methods) 1.Preview text, elaborate with “why” question 2.Metamemory and interference breaks 3.Self-made review sheet 4.Periodic review schedule 5.Self-testing (retrieval) 6.Testing strategies to enhance retrieval 7.Memory book

College Case: 504 Plan 1.Notetaker 2.Extended testing time 3.Use of class notes for some exams

College Case Outcomes 1.Started on academic probation at end of first semester with intervention at end of two-year college program 4.Student gained confidence 5.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 cord 2.Abusive father; stressful home environment 3.ADHD 4.Executive dysfunctions but very self-aware 5.Speech/language delay and disorder 6.Seizure disorder

Elementary Case Previous Interventions 1.RTI Math: Failed to respond adequately 2.Tutoring at home by special ed. teacher 3.Earobics 4.Phonemic awareness training

Assessment Results 1.Full Scale IQ of Weak short-term memory 3.Working memory borderline low average 4.Weak long-term memory 1.Encoding 2.Consolidation 3.Retrieval

Elementary Case Diagnosis 1.ADHD (on meds) 2.Language Disorder (speech/lang. therapy) 3.LD 4.Seizure Disorder (on meds) 5.Placed under OHI

Elementary Case: Classroom Recommendations 1.Interference breaks 2.Help minimize stress 3.Extended testing time and read to 4.Repeating information 5.Provides pictures when possible 6.Reminders of step-by-step procedures 7.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