Between the Stacks by Jackie R

Short-Term Memory

jackier24 — 2024-10-04 01:42:49 UTC

Short-term memory includes the immediate memory and the working memory. The immediate memory holds what is sent from the thalamus for 30 seconds or less, keeping what might be important and forgetting what isn’t (Sousa, 2022).

The working memory is located in the frontal lobe and has a limited capacity for what it can hold (Sousa, 2022), although the size of this limited capacity varies from person to person (DiTullio, 2021). Working memory quickly processes new information for sense and meaning, as well as accessing any memories that it might connect to (Sousa, 2022). If it is worth remembering, it is sent to the long-term memory.

Long-Term Memory

jackier24 — 2024-10-04 01:49:19 UTC

Long-term memory has an unlimited capacity to collect information, experiences, and concepts (DiTullio, 2021) that can be retrieved as needed. According to Sousa (2022), long-term memory refers to the ability to process and store information which takes time and often happens while a person is sleeping. Long-term memory is located in the hippocampus where it stores information in long-term storage. If there are any emotions connected to the information, they are stored in the amygdala and the two are reconnected as needed.

Neural Connections

jackier24 — 2024-10-04 02:00:25 UTC

Neurons play an important role in the memory process. As new information is connected to what is already known, neural receptors, called dendrites, receive a signal from a neurotransmitter which then sends the signal through the neuron by way of the axon to the presynaptic terminal where it is transferred to the dendrite of another neuron by another neurotransmitter and the process continues (Perry, 2013). As these signals are being transferred, connections between neurons are being made or strengthened, creating a better chance for the information to be remembered.

Retention

jackier24 — 2024-10-04 02:45:09 UTC

Teachers should not just want students to learn new information, but to retain it. The likelihood of information being retained increases if it can be remembered 24 hours after first learning it (Sousa, 2022). When information is retained, it can be accurately accessed and retrieved in the future.

According to Sousa (2022), for retention to take place, new information needs to be processed and reprocessed for meaning and understanding, which can be done through rehearsal. In the initial phase of rehearsal, information is remembered as it was learned. When students move to the second phase of rehearsal, they interact with the information in a way that helps the brain find meaning, relationships, and connections. Students need to have time to interact with the information to increase the chance that it will be moved to long-term storage.

Transfers

jackier24 — 2024-10-07 04:12:57 UTC

According to Sousa (2022), the brain organizes and reorganizes information, using past learning to help make sense of what is new. As new information enters the working memory, long-term memory is stimulated to search for any associations or connections that can be made. If any are found, they are transferred back to working memory where they are processed and new connections are established.

Trauma

jackier24 — 2024-10-07 04:13:32 UTC

According to Ristuccia (2018), students who have experienced trauma may struggle with sequential thinking, cause and effect, and predicting what could come next. These types of struggles can hinder the storage and retrieval process. In a normal thinking cycle a person would set a goal, make a plan, execute it, and reflect on its success. If it works, the same process will be stored away for later use. Children of trauma may approach a familiar task as if it is brand new to them. They may also have heightened sensory awareness to their own bodies or the environment, which becomes the focal point, rather than the teacher’s instruction.

Retrieval

jackier24 — 2024-10-07 04:14:35 UTC

According to Sousa (2022), the retrieval process happens either when an outside stimulus matches stored information or prompts and hints are sent to long-term memory where it searches for connections to bring back to working memory for further processing. The retrieval process can vary from student to student and some may take longer to access what they know. It is important to give everyone adequate time to think, so students don’t equate speed with intelligence.

Sensory Memory

jackier24 — 2024-10-07 04:15:51 UTC

According to Sousa (2022), the senses interact with the environment and send new information to the thalamus. This area of the brain, along with the sensory register, spends milliseconds deciding if what is being sensed should be remembered. Information that isn’t needed is forgotten and information that could be needed is sent to short-term memory.

Teacher Strategy #1

jackier24 — 2024-10-07 09:37:15 UTC

Because humans are created in the image of God (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, 2001, Genesis 1:27), they can develop a relationship with Him and others around them. As social creatures, the human brain is a social organ that guides these relationships (Perry, 2013). All students, especially those who have experienced trauma, will learn best if they know the adults around them are supportive and caring (Ham, 2017). When students know that they belong, they will feel safe (Perry, 2020a) which can help them better focus on learning. They will also begin to respond as they see that the teacher is relationally present and respectful, not only to them but also to others around them (Perry, 2020b).

Teacher Strategy #2

jackier24 — 2024-10-09 00:38:47 UTC

Activating prior knowledge helps get students' attention, but it also prepares the brain to know what information in long-term storage to access. There may already be neural pathways for this information to connect with, so having students make concept maps, K-W-L charts, word webs, or talk in a think-pair-share group can help initiate this process (DiTuillio, 2021).