Overcoming Working Memory limitations

Working memory problems are identified as a cause of learning difficulty. Thus, it is important to minimize the working memory demands in the classroom activities if we are to help students in their learning. There are several effective strategies to reduce working memory demands and achieve success in learning situations. Cognitive load theory recognizes three methods that can help students to accommodate the limitations of working memory (Eggan & Kauchak, 2007):

• Chunking

• Automaticity

• Dual processing

Chunking is the process of grouping into units: it could be a single number, a letter, or many pieces of information. Miller (1956) found that human beings can remember no more than seven plus or minus two items at a time, and the amount of the information in short term memory could be increased by chunking. The nature of the items plays a major role in the capability to recall. It is much easier, for instance, to recall 7 letters that make a word than to recall 7 unrelated letters. Another example of chunks can be found when we want to recall 14 digits for telephone number (00441413306565). It is very difficult to recall this number at once. However, we can recall this number easily if we remember that 0044 the international access , 141 the local access , and 330 the access for local University. After the chunking process, only four digits 6565 are needed to be recalled.

Automaticity refers to the ability to perform a task with low level of awareness without occupying the mind (Healy et.al, 1993; Schneider & Shiffrin, 1977). It is usually the consequence of learning, repetition, and practice. Ordinary activities such as walking, speaking, typing at keyboard, and driving a car are examples of automaticity. Stanovich (1990) stated that automaticity is a fundamental requirement for developing higher-level cognitive skills. It is possible after adequately practicing an activity, to concentrate the memory on other activities while preceding an automaticised activity. For example, people can hold a call or speak while driving a car. This ability can be applied in mathematics learning, where basic operations such as addition and multiplication must be automatic in the learner’s mind, to permit the space of working memory to be occupied for solving a task. In case these basic operations are not mastered automatically, the learner will think about the product of 7 × 9 , for example, instead of solving the problem and not enough working memory space will be left to solve it (Eggan & Kauchak, 2007). 

Dual processing attributes to benefiting from the feature of multi-components of working memory suggested by Baddeley (1992). Working memory consists of visual and auditory working memory, and while each is limited in capacity, they can work individually. This feature can be capitalized-on by presenting information in both visual and verbal forms (Mayer, 1997, 1998; Sweller et.al, 1998). Whereas Gathercole et.al, (2006) indicated three ways that the teacher should take into consideration for managing and reducing the working memory demands: Ensure that the child can remember the task: Memorize activity instructions is an important step to achieve success in learning. Thus, the instructions should be as brief as possible for making them easy to remember. Gathercole et.al, (2006) advise to break the instructions down into smaller constituents where possible, which will have also the benefit of abbreviating a complicated task. The most successful way to enhance memory for the task instructions is the frequent repetition of them. Use external memory aids: The utility of external memory aids will facilitate the complex activities, which decree considerable processing as well as storage loads. Children, at the basic level, fall back on their fingers to aid them to get the answers for addition processes. Older children and adult do more complicated tasks and the

use of the calculators in maths classes helps to reduce the processing loads on the working memory especially for students with low working memory capacity. For example, the volume of conic formula . This complicated formula requires excessive processing and storage demands for retrieving the decimal multiplying operation if it is solved by paper and pencil. Reduce processing loads: Complex learning situations may cause a combination of excessive storage and processing demands, which generate a disruption of the student’s performance. To avoid this disruption, the processing load of the task should be cut down (Gathercole et.al, 2006). Bull & Espy (2006) declared that cognitive limitations do lead to difficulties in learning basic arithmetic and mathematic skills, and to help students in their learning, these cognitive limitations need to be determined.

Furthermore, teachers should avoid any question that may confuse the learner’s mind. Some teachers desire to introduce a task in the tests to confuse the learner rather than to assess his understanding of any topic. The square root of 16 is a good example of such task that cause confusion for the learner. When the students are asked ‘what is the square root of 16, they answer 4. However, in multiple choice questions, the majority choose 8 as a root of 16 even when they understand the meaning of the square root. This incorrect choice is a consequence of the confusion that occurs in learner’s mind from the similarity of adding two 8s. Adding is confused with squaring.