Effectively Teaching and Supporting Students with Low Working Memory

This Critical Agendas workshop addresses one of the most underrecognised factors affecting student achievement: working memory. Research consistently demonstrates that working memory capacity is a stronger predictor of academic success than IQ, yet many educators have never been taught to identify or support students whose working memory limitations are silently undermining their learning. Presenter Shirley Houston — an independent educational consultant with 40 years of teaching experience and a Masters in Special Education — brings deep expertise in specific learning difficulties to this practical seminar. Participants will develop a thorough understanding of how working memory functions in childhood, learn to recognise the classroom behaviours that signal working memory deficits (often misinterpreted as inattention or lack of effort), and explore validated tools for measuring working memory capacity. The heart of the session lies in its practical strategies: concrete, research-informed approaches for supporting students with weak working memory, from simplified instructions and visual scaffolds to chunking techniques and technology-based interventions that can strengthen working memory skills over time. What makes this session particularly valuable is its relevance across every subject area and year level — working memory affects every student who struggles to hold information while processing new material, making these strategies essential additions to every teacher's repertoire.