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A human brain's capacity for memory is unlimited as the number of potential connections is unfathomable (Sousa. 2022)! We have storage places for short term, long term, or even in between length memories. Decisions are made within the storage system of our brains to ensure our minds are not cluttered with a lot of useless junk we won’t need. It works a bit like this; A stimulus is presented, for our example today we will use a half off sale sign you noticed on the way to work in front of the sub shop. You take note of it, file it away, think no more about it. But later, a friend suggests take-out for lunch, you recall the sign and save everyone a few bucks! Your memory of the sign was filed away until it became necessary. Now, if the memory hadn’t been pulled out of the drawer for use, it likely would have been thrown in the bin rather soon.

When we are in the process of learning, memory, and how it works, becomes vital knowledge. We do not want all of our (or our students) hard work going to waste, or tossed in the bin like an unused subway discount,  because we cannot recall the necessary information. This board contains useful tools that will help you discover how memories form, types of memories, how trauma can impact memory, and three strategies to help with retention and transfer.

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Declarative memory deals with facts, names, and objects. Declarative memory can be divided into two subcategories: Episodic - is the remembering part, for example, recalling an event in our own lives, and Semantic- is the knowing part of this memory, knowing the Statue of Liberty is in New York or how to make change from a dollar bill.

Non-Declarative memory includes aspects of procedural memory (how to do something such as tie your shoes), perceptual representation system (involving the prompting of completing incomplete visual images or text based on past experience) , classical conditioning (Pavlov's dogs) , and nonassociative learning (acclimatization to environmental stimuli)

(Sousa. 2022)

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Encoding- Sensory information is processed and sorted, some information will be sent to working memory (listening to a read aloud) and some will be filtered out (the noise from the mower running outside).

Neural Connectivity- If connections to prior experience can be made (counting 1-10 to adding 1+5, or learning traditional American songs and poems to learning about the American Revolution), those connections are strengthened. If the event or experience is novel, then new neural pathways are formed as sense and meaning are made of the new information. However, if the pathway is not retraced again with another experience it will likely be pruned. Use it or lose it!

Rehearsal- Sense and meaning can only be made if there is adequate time and opportunities to process new information. Students must be given lots of time for both rote rehearsal (ex multiplication facts), and elaborative rehearsal (ex paraphrasing a passage). This will help students move new learning from working memory to long term storage.

Consolidation- The information is deemed to make sense and have meaning, activates prior knowledge, or maybe has a big emotion tied to it, so it is sent orders to leave the hippocampus and travels to various parts of the brain for long term storage and retrieval. Sleep is a very important component to consolidation!

Storage- The learned information is stored in the short term for temporary use, or in long term memory as consolidation occurs.

(University of Queensland. n.d.)

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Memories can last seconds to a lifetime, depending on several factors. Let's look at what drives a memories lifespan, specifically how they identify to the learning environment.

Immediate/Sensory- just like it states, this memory is only found useful in the moment. A student may need to remember a quick set of instructions for a test, to bring a pencil to music class, or even notice by the enticing aroma coming from the cafeteria that lunch today is mac n cheese. These memories do not usually last very long.

Working Memory- This helps us recall what we have just read in the moment and working memory decides if there is any connection to be made, reasoning with novel information, or solving problems.

Working memory does not have an unlimited capacity and needs a break! Especially with younger students trying to process information.

Long Term Storage- This area holds onto information for as long as a lifetime. This includes survival skills, like knowing fire is hot, and big emotional moments like a sibling being born or moving cities, that have intense feelings tied to them. These are geared for encoding to the long term storage. For students, say reading a text on the American Revolution, in order for the text to go from working memory to long term storage, it requires making sense and meaning of the reading. Why is it important, what connections does it make to prior learning, what relevance does this hold; these questions are all innately reviewed and if the information is found wanting, it will likely not be eligible for filing in long term storage.

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Understanding how memories are made can greatly impact how we, as educators, plan and present lessons. One key factor is tapping into prior learning. This helps the students brain make connections and strengthen neural pathways. Another factor is rehearsal. Allowing students repeated opportunities to engage with the topic in order to process and reprocess will enable them to build strong connections and send that information into their long term memory, where they can make the next connection as they build skills.

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Retention involves creating a framework of sense and meaning around a concept that allows it to grow as you gain more information. Retention is largely dependent on when the learning occurs in the learning block! The first ten minutes and the last ten minutes are the most memorable and therefore critical in presenting new information. Skip the folder check and homework review, hit the new lesson first, directly and implicitly. Shortening the learning block will help lengthen the prime learning time! Retention is also strengthened by varying methods of instruction. Using visuals, verbal instruction, time to interact with materials and practice, having a student explain the concept to another students, are all ways to make meaningful learning experiences that allow students to make sense and meaning of learning!

Transfer during learning occurs when students make the connection to prior learning ("Oh, we learned the Star Spangled Banner in second grade! And now, in fourth we are hearing about Frances Scott Key writing it during a battle in the American Revolution!"). The information combines and is ready for future use! Transfer of learning happens when a student applies prior learning to a similar endeavor ("Oh, I get it! Multiplication is kind of like division, only in reverse!").

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Traumatic experiences, or chronic stress, can cause the brain's amygdala to become stuck in the freeze, flight, or fight sequence. The hippocampus, where emotional regulation and memories are made, can actually shrink. The prefrontal cortex, responsible for decision making and impulse control is impacted as well often leading to behavior issues (Bremner, J.D. 2006)

Trauma can affect both declarative (explicit) and non-declarative(implicit) memory. Episodic memories can become jumbled and fragmented and semantic memories of places, people, events, never combine to make sense. Emotional memory may cause a person to act out and even they may not realize the trigger, and procedural memory can be compromised by stressors causing tension and anxiety. (Bricker, M. 2019) Trauma inhibits students from achieving academic success as they struggle to make sense of the emotions that quite literally hijack their brain.

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Tip 1. To support memory, you need to create a calm, creative learning atmosphere. The environment should be positive and predictable. We know stress affects the brain's ability to learn, so if the classroom is a negative space, it will inhibit academics. This includes discipline methodologies. Ridicule, sarcasm, blaming are all factors that contribute to academic decline as stress rises and students become unable to focus, thus unable to recall learning. This is true for all students, but especially those who have experienced trauma. Being sure not to raise your voice, provide positive supports, and keeping a predictable schedule will help those students feel safe and valued, thus better able to learn.

Tip 2. For retention, use your prime time wisely and create shorter learning blocks! A shorter learning block allows for higher amounts of prime time (this is where students get the most out the lesson) The first 15 minutes and the last 15 minutes of a 40 minutes learning block are the most vital, but in a 20 minute lesson there is only 2 minutes of down time! This also helps students who suffer from trauma. The shortened learning block allows them to use the prime time learning, process and practice, and keeps their minds moving. This is important for those students as boredom, idle hand and minds (as often occur in longer learning blocks) tend to lead to triggers and behaviors.

Tip 3. You can support positive transfer with an integrated curriculum. Integrating cross curricular lessons, such as combining math, science, writing, and language arts for a lesson in medieval times. You are using math to determine the area and perimeter of fields, language arts learn about the serfs and lords and the parts of speech that describe them, writing and opinion about whether you'd like to be a serf or a lord, and science to determine how to build a catapult to attack the castle! This method supports transfer as students construct knowledge in various parts of the brain, as they use various parts of the brain, allowing for easier and better recall. Integrating curriculum also supports students with trauma backgrounds in that it provides them with positive, sensory rich experiences in all core subjects helping them make sense and meaning of the lessons, supporting transfer.

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References

Bremner J. D. (2006). Traumatic stress: effects on the

brain. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 8(4), 445–461.

https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNBS.2006.8.4/jbremner

Brickner, Michael. (2019) How trauma impacts four

different types of memory-NAADAC. naadac.org. chrome-

extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.

naadac.org/assets/2416/2019NWRC_Michael_Bricker_Hando

ut4.pdf

Sousa, D. A. (2022). How the brain learns (6th ed.).

Corwin Press. https://bibliu.com/app/?

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University of Queensland, Australia. (n.d.) Queensland

brain institute. How are memories formed?The brain,

cognition, memory. https://qbi.uq.edu.au/memory/how-are-

memories-formed