Memory and Comprehension: Implications for Instruction and Assessment

Scenario: 

A student reads a passage and answers a series of comprehension questions. 

Question: 

What is the intersection of short term memory, working memory, and long term memory? 

Definitions:

Short Term Memory - stuff you think about for a short period of time and then get rid of. 

Working Memory - space in your mind that you use to manipulate, use, or make decisions about information or skills. 

Long Term Memory - stuff you know or remember automatically 

A belief:

Struggling readers often have trouble keeping ideas in their working memory long enough to answer questions, especially complex ones like inference, analysis, or synthesis. 

A Hypothesis: 

Memory types collaborate to support comprehension during reading and decision making after reading to answer questions. Could categorizing comprehension processes by memory type illuminate comprehension instruction and refine strategies students use? 

Think with me: 

What type of memory is used for these comprehension tasks? Sort the ideas using these categories: Short Term, Working, Long Term, Both

paragraph/page numbers/text location

decoding unknown words

decoding known words

determining author's purpose, message, and theme

answer choice a,b,c,d

titles and subheadings

using context to determine meaning of unfamiliar words

using dictionary to determine meaning of unfamiliar words

reading and connecting question elements/parts

reading to develop schema about an unfamiliar topic

connecting background knowledge about a familiar topic

keeping track of characters/details

connecting question elements to text elements

managing text features and characteristics

fluency and prosody

genre awareness

What should we add? 

Initial Thoughts: 

Here's how I began: 

working memory: decoding unknown words; using context to determine meaning of unfamiliar words; using a dictionary to determine meaning of known words; reading to develop schema about an unfamiliar topic; keeping track of characters/details; managing the text features and characteristics; titles and subheadings

both; determining the author's purpose, message, or theme; making inferences; using text evidence; reading and connecting question elements; connecting question elements to text elements; fluency and prosody

long term: decoding known words; meaning of known words; using a dictionary; background knowledge related to topic; genre awareness;

short term: paragraph numbers/question numbers/page numbers/text location; answer choice a,b,c,d;

What corrections should I make? 

Implications: 

More like questions, really. 

How do we help students move fluidly in and out of strategies that match how those memories are used when comprehending? 

What strategies are more adept for each type of comprehension skill or task? 

Would students feel less frustrated if they could pinpoint why they couldn't remember something or find an answer? 

Something like, "Wow. I'm getting lost in all these details. That means my working memory is getting full. I need to think of what might help. I can slow down and reread. I can build knowledge about words and concepts that I am unfamiliar with. I can make annotations or record notes using a graphic organizer. I can sketchnote..." 

Something like, "Dad gummit. I know that I've read about this in Science, but where was that in the passage? That means that I have some background knowledge and need to cross check that information with what is in the text. What do I know about reading informational texts that could help me here? Ah, the headings. That would be a start. What heading might that answer be in?"

Something like, "Hmmm. The author is getting at something important here, but I'm missing it. I understand the topic and the words, but there's more to it than that. That means my knowledge is working and that I comprehend. Now I need to apply understanding to make a decision. When I'm looking for what an author thinks is important, I can't hear their words. So I change my phrasing to emphasize words that I think adds meaning to the sentences. This helps me "hear" the author in my working memory. I visualize what these words portray, a movie in my mind. The emphasis and visualization help me connect the words to the author's meaning more effectively to make a decision about theme and message. I use both my working memory (sense) and meaning making to apply understanding about what this author explains about life.