Have you ever noticed that when you read a story, and then try to answer questions about what you read, your brain suddenly goes blank. You’re left thinking, “Wait, what did I just read about?”. Not being able to recall information has to do with your working memory. Often times, when our brain is not engaged or active when learning new information, it has a more difficult time sticking in our working memory. Graphic organizers are a great tool for improving our working memory. The great thing about graphic organizers is that they come in many different designs. If you know you are going to need to remember certain vocabulary words in the text you are reading, grab a vocab graphic organizer that encourages you to not only find the definition of the word but also draw a picture of it or use the word in a sentence. By using imagery while reading, you are keeping your brain active, which will help you recall the information, from your working memory, when you need it. Graphic organizers are also great to use when planning an essay or writing assignment. Creating an outline or graphic organizer that allows you to segment out your ideas before putting them into paragraphs. When you do go to create your essay, chances are you will spend less time typing out the essay because you already mentally and physically planned it out! Check out our resource folder with some examples of graphic organizers that might be helpful for you.
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Working memory is the function of our brain that is responsible for processing, remembering and storing information that we use on a daily basis. When you tied your shoes this morning, did you repeat in your head “over, under, pull it tight, make a bow, pull it through to do it right!”. Most likely you don’t need to sing the rhyme anymore, you probably tie your shoes without even realizing that you are doing it. Being able to remember how to tie your shoes is an example of using your working memory. Now a days a large portion of your working memory is probably spent on remembering that to-do list of yours or your work schedule, or memorizing the Law of Sines equation. With working memory, the more you use the information, the more likely you are to remember it. However, there are many environmental factors that might keep our working memory from having a larger attention span. Remembering directions is part of our working memory, yet today, what do we rely on for directions- our brain or our smartphone? Don’t get me wrong, Google Maps is a lifesaver, but what if relying on technology for recalling information, was actually hurting our working memory? Watch the video below to find out what the Google Effect is. |