Self-Regulation and Individual Differences
Some differences in learners are related to maturity. These include:
1) Increasing ability to control attention
2) Skill at fitting attention to task
3) Planning and following teacher
In addition to differences noted above, there are specific differences associated with short term memory, including:
1) Memory improves with age, so older students are naturally more capable with short term memory tasks. Some of these changes are related to specific neurologic developments.
2) Children learn rehearsal. Rehearsal of information to maintain short term memory is a metacognitive strategy that can be taught. Children will learn this approach naturally, but improvements may be gained by teaching strategies to make the process more effective.
3) Young children may ignore parts of a task which can be simplified. By simplifying what information is to be remembered, learners can improve the effectiveness of their short term memory. Again, this is a skill which can be taught.
4) Gifted children may or may not have better short term mmory skills. Some evidence suggests that "gifted" learners may have different rather than better processing abilities. Teachers should be careful about the expectations they place on this select group.
Teachers can assist short term memory by:
1) Diagnosing the basis of a child's problem. By identifying what specific skill is missing, the teacher can focus the child on a personalized solution strategy.
2) Demonstrate that oversimplification will not work. Oversimplification will reduce the amount of information to be remembered, but will also decrease the learning process.
3) Teach better strategies and have students practice. Memory skills are like other skills, they require rehearsal to improve.
4) Use familiar terms, simple tasks, small steps and practice.
Individual Differences and Long Term Memory
1) Children develop strategies for encoding and retrievel. By increasing their metacognitive knowledge, learners can identify their own process and learn to build upon it.
2) Children must develop a useful store of knowledge which serves as a foundation. Information that is attached or connected to other well known information is easier to encode and retrieve. Therefore, the more a child knows, the easier it will be to acquire additional information.
 |
Return Home |  |