A team at Durham University developed a new tool to test more than 3,000 students of various ages. They found that a poor working memory seriously impairs a student’s ability to learn and about 300 of those students tested suffered from a poor working memory. We know that children with fetal alcohol effect have poor working memories. The study indicates that poor working memory may also be genetic. Unfortunately, this question isn't addressed on most birthmother medical information forms. The British study implies that poor working memory as opposed to low intelligence may be the reason that some students are underachievers. School personnel rarely identify poor working memory; instead, the students may be labeled as inattentive or as having lower intelligence. It logically follows that if a child’s learning problem is not identified by the school district then countermeasures will not be in place to help the child succeed. Therefore, it will affect the student’s long-term academic success and prevent them from achieving their potential. Since the problem usually isn't identified, birthmothers wouldn't be able to tell the adoptive family even if the question was on the medical and social information form.

The ability to retain and manipulate information is controlled by working memory. The article gives an example of trying to do a math problem in your head without paper, pencil, or calculator. Obviously, a student needs working memory to pay attention to the teacher, follow directions, or make driving decisions. This would help to explain why our fetal alcohol affected children are unable to follow complex directions. Instead, we adoptive parents need to give them just one step of the instructions at a time.

My son has a pocket size tape recorder that he can use to record the teacher. Later, he can listen to it as many times as he needs to. You may need to get something in writing from your child’s doctor in order to use a tape recorder in class. You may be able to include its use in your child’s individual education plan (IEP.)

The tool that researchers developed and used in this study can assess memory capacity in students as young as age four. It is a combination of a checklist and computer program that can be used in the classroom. The study suggests that students need to find a way to learn despite their reduced capacity to store information. Of course, early identification can help students find alternate learning methods before they fall too far behind their peers.

Photo Credit Julia Fuller 2007