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Difficulties with Memory/Recall

Memory/recall is the ability to store, retain, and subsequently retrieve information.

Difficulties with Memory/Recall - adjustments to practice

Short-Term Memory

Short-term memory can be described as the capacity (or capacities) for holding a small amount of information in mind in an active, readily available state. The information held in short term memory may be:

  • recently processed sensory information;
  • items recently retrieved from long term memory;
  • the result of recent mental processing, although this is more generally related to the concept of working memory.

Learners with short term memory disorders can have particular problems in a number of areas, including:

  • Speech and language difficulties (including impairments in speech production and the acquisition of language);
  • Remembering instructions and learning common sequences like directions, assignments and deadlines;
  • Visual learning difficulties (including learning numbers and letters, finding their way around new environments as well as manipulating visual information like shape, colour and space);
  • Managing more complex problem-solving tasks like mental arithmetic.

Long-Term Memory

Long-term memory refers to a person's ability to retain information over time, e.g. for minutes to hours or longer.

Episodic memory is memory for events or episodes that include the contextual details of the learning experience, e.g. the ability to remember what happened that morning or to recall what happened on a particular date.

Semantic memory is the ability to remember factual information that does not include the contextual details of the learning event. For example, a student may know that the capital of France is Paris, but not remember the actual event when they were first told such a fact.

Learners with weaknesses in their episodic memory can exhibit particular patterns of learning, behavioural and social difficulties. e.g.:

  • They may get lost easily;
  • They may repeat things previously done because they do not remember doing them the first time;
  • When questioned about their daily experiences they find it difficult to provide specific details or describe events;
  • They may appear socially aloof as they find it difficult to remember shared events.

Learners with semantic memory difficulties will have more pervasive problems in learning the factual contents of the course content.

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Difficulties with Memory/Recall - adjustments to practice

These strategies are suggestions for inclusive teaching and training. This list should not be considered exhaustive and it is important to remember that all learners are individuals, and good practice for one person may not necessarily be good practice for another. If you have any good practice that you would like to add to this list, please email your suggestions to ettad@worc.ac.uk.  

Environmental Factors 
  • Try to keep background distractions to a minimum.

Learning Resources
  • Encourage learners to consider using cue cards, for example, when they are giving presentations.
  • Provide small-step instructions.
  • Provide explicit, logical links using different colours, cue lines, diagrams and known symbols when appropriate.
  • Encourage the habit of using other kinds of individualised aids e.g. diary, personal dictionaries, audio instructions on personal stereo, topic-based vocabulary lists, number aids etc.

Course Delivery 
  • Say things more than once, and ask for instructions to be repeated to ensure the learner has understood. This is also a good indicator of how much information can be retained at once by the student.
  • Minimise the number of key points a learner has to remember, sequence the items clearly and avoid any language that is likely to confuse the issues.
  • Use strategies to have fun with your students - humour is valuable as our brains are good at remembering unusual or silly things.
  • Try learning in chunks (not mnopqr, but mn, op, qr).
  • Vary the strategies and include different sensory patterns - offer learners memorising techniques such as mnemonics (a visual approach to learning), mind maps, auditory strategies and learning by doing.
  • Do not persist with memory-based activities and practice where these are not working.
  • Encourage learners to find their own strategies and become independent in their learning.
  • Ask questions to help learners to retrieve information; do not expect spontaneous recall.
  • Emphasise over-learning to help get learning into long term memory.
  • Allow learners with a limited attention span to record lessons to help them review the information presented in class and fill in gaps from their notes.

General Guidance
  • Be aware that it is always easier to remember arrangements/items when personally motivated. This is a natural facet of memory that ensures that individual priorities require the least effort.
  • When people learn to proceed through a task systematically, it will seem less overwhelming and will help enhance learners' self-esteem because they will be more successful.

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