Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gxg78 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-29T00:40:52.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Memory Mates: An Evaluation of a Classroom-Based, Student-Focused Working Memory Intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2020

Susan Colmar Open the ORCID record for Susan Colmar [Opens in a new window] ,
Kit Double ,
Nash Davis ,
Linda Sheldon ,
Natalie Phillips ,
Matthew Cheng  and
Sophie Briddon
Susan Colmar*
Affiliation:
Sydney School of Education and Social Work, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Kit Double
Affiliation:
Department of Education, University of Oxford, UK
Nash Davis
Affiliation:
Department of Education NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Linda Sheldon
Affiliation:
Department of Education NSW, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Natalie Phillips
Affiliation:
School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Matthew Cheng
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK
Sophie Briddon
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Bath, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Susan Colmar, Program Director for School Counselling and School Psychology, Associate Professor, Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney, Room 805, Education Building A35, The University of Sydney NSW2006. Telephone: +61 2 9351 6265, Fax: +61 2 9351 2606, Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

This applied experimental research tested the effectiveness of a universal, student-focused intervention (‘Memory Mates’), specifically focused on supporting students to use attention and working memory strategies within academic contexts, unlike computer-based programs. Memory Mates is presented in the form of icons and explanations, with the strategies embedded within the classroom. Analyses compared the impact of the intervention over 8 months in three schools with three control schools, comprising 13 Year 4 primary school classes. The intervention group students showed a significant improvement in mathematics and spelling; however, there was no differential effect on reading comprehension or academic engagement. Based on the present results, it is contended that implementing Memory Mates within classroom contexts demonstrated promising potential as a new approach to supporting academic progress.

Keywords

working memoryclassroomsexperimentalinterventionprimary school
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 30 , Issue 2 , December 2020 , pp. 159 - 171
Check for updates
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2020. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). (2008). Progressive achievement tests in reading: Comprehension, vocabulary and spelling (4th ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER). (2013). Progressive achievement tests in mathematics (PAT-Maths) (4th ed.). Melbourne, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Ackerman, P.L., Beier, M.E., & Boyle, M.O. (2005). Working memory and intelligence: The same or different constructs? Psychological Bulletin, 131, 30–60.10.1037/0033-2909.131.1.30CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Alloway, T.P. (2006). How does working memory work in the classroom? Educational Research and Reviews, 1, 134–139.Google Scholar
Alloway, T.P. (2009). Working memory, but not IQ, predicts subsequent learning in children with learning difficulties. European Journal of Psychological Assessment, 25, 92–98.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alloway, T.P. (2011). Improving working memory. Supporting students’ learning. London, England: Sage Publications.Google Scholar
Alloway, T.P., & Alloway, R.G. (2010). Investigating the predictive roles of working memory and IQ in academic attainment. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 106, 20–29.10.1016/j.jecp.2009.11.003CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Alloway, T.P., & Alloway, R.G. (2013). Working memory across the lifespan: A cross-sectional approach. Journal of Cognitive Psychology, 25, 84–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alloway, T.P., & Copello, E. (2013). Working memory: The what, the why, and the how. The Australian Educational and Developmental Psychologist, 30, 105–118.10.1017/edp.2013.13CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alloway, T.P., Gathercole, S.E., & Kirkwood, H. (2008). Working Memory Rating Scale (WMRS). London, England: Pearson Education.Google Scholar
Alloway, T.P., Gathercole, S.E., Kirkwood, H., & Elliott, J. (2009). The cognitive and behavioral characteristics of children with low working memory. Child Development, 80, 606–621 CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Apter, B.J.B. (2012). Do computerised training programmes designed to improve working memory work? Educational Psychology in Practice, 28, 257–272.10.1080/02667363.2012.712915CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Aronen, E.T., Vuontela, V., Steenari, M-R., Salmi, J., & Carlson, S. (2005). Working memory, psychiatric symptoms, and academic performance at school. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, 83, 33–42.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Baddeley, A. (2000). The episodic buffer: A new component of working memory? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4, 417–423.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Boekaerts, M., & Corno, L. (2005). Self-regulation in the classroom: A perspective on assessment and intervention. Applied Psychology: An International Review, 54, 199–231.10.1111/j.1464-0597.2005.00205.xCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bull, R., & Scerif, G. (2001). Executive functioning as a predictor of childrenʼs mathematics ability: Inhibition, switching, and working memory. Developmental Neuropsychology, 19, 273–293.10.1207/S15326942DN1903_3CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Colmar, S. (2013). Attention and working memory. APACS NSW ENewsletter, Term 4, 3.Google Scholar
Colmar, S. (2016) Memory Mates: An update. APACS NSW ENewsletter, Term 2.Google Scholar
Colmar, S., Davis, N., & Sheldon, L. (2016). A pilot classroom-based study of attention and working memory strategies for primary aged students. Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 26, 1–12.10.1017/jgc.2016.10CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Colmar, S., & Double, K. (2017). Working Memory interventions with children: Classrooms or computers? Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools, 27, 264–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dalwood Assessment Centre. (2008). Dalwood spelling test. Seaforth, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Davis, N., Sheldon, L., & Colmar, S. (2014). Memory mates: A classroom-based intervention to improve attention and working memory. Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, 24, 111–120.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dehn, M.J. (2008). Working memory and academic learning: Assessment and intervention. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.Google Scholar
Dehn, M.J. (2013). Supporting and strengthening working memory in the classroom to enhance executive functioning. In Goldstein, S. & Naglieri, J.A. (Eds.), Handbook of executive functioning (pp. 495–507). New York, NY: Springer.Google Scholar
Ehri, L.C. (2005). Development of sight word reading: Phases and findings. In Snowling, M.J. & Hulme, C. (Eds.), The science of reading: A handbook. (pp. 135–154). Malden, England: Blackwell.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Elliott, J.G., Gathercole, S.E., Alloway, T.P., Holmes, J., & Kirkwood, H. (2010). An evaluation of a classroom-based intervention to help overcome working memory difficulties and improve long-term academic achievement. Journal of Cognitive Education and Psychology, 9, 227–250.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Engle, R.W., Carullo, J.J., & Collins, K.W. (1991). Individual differences in working memory for comprehension and following directions. The Journal of Educational Research, 84, 253–262.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gathercole, S. (2008). Working memory in the classroom. The Psychologist, 21, 382–385.Google Scholar
Gathercole, S.E., & Alloway, T.P. (2007). Understanding working memory: A classroom guide. London, England: Harcourt Assessment.Google Scholar
Gathercole, S.E., & Alloway, T.P. (2008). Working memory & learning. A practical guide for teachers. London, England: Sage Publication.Google Scholar
Gathercole, S.E., Lamont, E., & Alloway, T.P. (2006). Working memory in the classroom. In Pickering, S.J (Ed.), Working memory and education (pp. 219–240). London, England: Elsevier Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofmann, W., Friese, M., Schmeichel, B.J., & Baddeley, A.D. (2011). Working memory and self-regulation. In Vohs, K.D. & Baumeiste, R.F. (Eds.), The handbook of self-regulation: Research, theory, and applications (2nd ed., vol. 2, pp. 204–226). New York, NY: Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Holmes, J., Gathercole, S.E., & Dunning, D.L. (2010). Poor working memory: Impact and interventions. In Holmes, J. (Ed.), Advances in child development and behavior (vol. 39, pp. 1–43). Burlington, VT: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Hulme, C., & Melby-Lervåg, M. (2012). Current evidence does not support the claims made for CogMed working memory training. Journal of Applied Research in Memory and Cognition, 1, 197–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. (2011a). Students engaged in Mathematics Lessons Scale. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Lynch School of Education, Boston College and International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), IEA Secretariat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement. (2011b). Students engaged in Reading Lessons Scale. Chestnut Hill, MA: TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center, Lynch School of Education, Boston College and International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), IEA Secretariat, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.Google Scholar
Jaeggi, S.M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Perrig, W.J. (2008). Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105, 6829–6833.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Jones, J.S., Milton, F., Mostazir, M., & Adlam, A.L.R. (2019). The academic outcomes of working memory and metacognitive strategy training in children: A double-blind randomized controlled trial. Developmental Science. Advance online publication. doi.org/10.1111/desc.12870 Google ScholarPubMed
Klingberg, T. (2010). Training and plasticity of working memory. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 14, 317–324.10.1016/j.tics.2010.05.002CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Klingberg, T., Fernell, E., Olesen, P.J., Johnson, M., Gustafsson, P., Dahlstrom, K., … Westerberg, H. (2005). Computerized training of working memory in children with ADHD — A randomized, controlled trial. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 44, 177–186.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Melby-Lervag, M., & Hulme, C. (2013). Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review. Developmental Psychology, 49, 270–291.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Monette, S., Bigras, M., & Guay, M.-C. (2011). The role of the executive functions in school achievement at the end of Grade 1. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 109, 158–173.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Morrison, A.B., & Chein, J.M. (2011). Does working memory training work? The promise and challenges of enhancing cognition by training working memory. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 18, 46–60.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Normand, S., & Tannock, R. (2014). Screening for working memory deficits in the classroom: The psychometric properties of the working memory rating scale in a longitudinal school-based study. Journal of Attention Disorders, 18, 294–304.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Pickering, S.J. (2006). Working memory in dyslexia. In Alloway, T.P. & Gathercole, S.E. (Eds.), Working memory and neurodevelopmental disorders (pp. 7–40). New York, NY: America Psychology Press.Google Scholar
Rapport, M.D., Orban, S.A., Kofler, M.J., & Friedman, L.M. (2013). Do programs designed to train working memory, other executive functions, and attention benefit children with ADHD? A meta-analytic review of cognitive, academic, and behavioral outcomes. Clinical Psychology Review, 33, 1237–1252.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Re, A.M., Mirandola, C., Esposito, S.S., & Capodieci, A. (2014). Spelling errors among children with ADHD symptoms: The role of working memory. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 35, 2199–2204.10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.010CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Redick, T.S., Shipstead, Z., Wiemers, E.A., Melby-Lervåg, M., & Hulme, C. (2015). Whatʼs working in working memory training? An educational perspective. Educational Psychology Review, 27, 617–633.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, G., Quach, J., Mensah, F., Gathercole, S.E., Gold, L., Anderson, P., … Wake, M. (2015). Schooling duration rather than chronological age predicts working memory between 6 and 7 years: Memory Maestros study. Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 36, 68–74.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberts, G., Quach, J., Spencer-Smith, M., Anderson, P.J., Gathercole, S., Gold, L., … Wake, M. (2016). Academic outcomes 2 years after working memory training for children with low working memory. JAMA Pediatrics, 170, e154568.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Rode, C., Robson, R., Purviance, A., Geary, D.C., & Mayr, U. (2014). Is working memory training effective? A study in a school setting. PLoS ONE, 9, e104796.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sheldon, L., Davis, N., & Colmar, S. (2015). Memory Mates: A classroom-based intervention to improve attention and working memory in primary-aged students. Sydney, Australia: Author.Google Scholar
Shipstead, Z., Redick, T.S., & Engle, R.W. (2012). Is working memory training effective? Psychological Bulletin, 138, 628–654.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Sitzmann, T., & Ely, K. (2011). A meta-analysis of self-regulated learning in work-related training and educational attainment: What we know and where we need to go. Psychological Bulletin, 137, 421.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tidwell, J.W., Dougherty, M.R., Chrabaszcz, J.R., Thomas, R.P., & Mendoza, J.L. (2014). What counts as evidence for working memory training? Problems with correlated gains and dichotomization. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21, 620–628.10.3758/s13423-013-0560-7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Titz, C., & Karbach, J. (2014). Working memory and executive functions: Effects of training on academic achievement. Psychological Research, 78, 852–868.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
van der Donk, M., Hiemstra-Beernink, A.-C., Tjeenk-Kalff, A., van der Leij, A., & Lindauer, R. (2013). Interventions to improve executive functioning and working memory in school-aged children with AD(H)D: A randomised controlled trial and stepped-care approach. BMC Psychiatry, 13, 23.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Witt, M. (2011). School based working memory training: Preliminary finding of improvement in childrenʼs mathematical performance. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 7, 7–15.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed