Using Visual Mechanics to Support Working Memory

For students with lower working memory scores

Visual mechanics involve using visual aids and strategies to help students retain and organise information more effectively. By leveraging diagrams, charts, and interactive visuals, students can better process and recall details, making learning more accessible.

This is especially beneficial for children with poor working memory, as it reduces the cognitive load and reinforces information through multiple channels.

Age Suitability

Primary Students (Ages 7–10)

Use bright, engaging visuals like colourful charts, flashcards, or storyboards to simplify information.

Secondary Students (Ages 11–16)

Incorporate structured tools like graphic organisers, flowcharts, or mind maps to handle more complex content.

Activity

DIY Memory Matching Game

A game where students match pairs of cards—one showing a picture and the other a related word or concept—to strengthen short-term memory through visual association. Useful for revision and adaptable for different subjects.

How to play

Create pairs of cards—one with a picture and the other with a related word or concept.
Lay the cards face down in a grid.
Students take turns flipping two cards, aiming to find matching pairs.
Use subject-specific content, e.g., historical events and dates for older students or shapes and names for younger ones.

Activity

Concept Mapping

A method to organise and simplify complex topics by creating visual maps with a central idea and branching subtopics. Students use colours, symbols, or images to enhance understanding.

How to Do It
Write the main concept in the centre of a large piece of paper or use an online tool.
Create branches for subtopics, adding related details under each branch.
Use colours, images, or symbols to make the map visually engaging.

Tips for ages

Break down age related information here. If split between multiple ages, use bullets like this:

Primary (7–10): Focus on simple topics like “Animals” with categories like “Mammals” and “Reptiles.
Secondary (11–16): Tackle more abstract topics like “Causes of World War I.”

Activity

Timeline Creation

A tool to reinforce chronological sequencing by filling in events, dates, or steps of a process on a blank timeline. Adding visuals to each entry makes the information easier to recall.

Provide a template with a blank timeline.
Students fill in events, dates, or steps of a process (e.g., a science experiment).
Include visuals for each event to make connections clearer.

What If It’s Not Working?

Simplify Visuals: Overly complicated diagrams can overwhelm students. Use fewer elements or focus on one layer of information at a time.
Break It Down: Teach students to approach visual mechanics step-by-step to avoid confusion.
Offer Alternatives: Try combining these methods with kinaesthetic activities or auditory cues for students who don’t respond well to visuals.

Teaching Effective Note-Taking in the Classroom

For Classroom Teachers: Digital Note-Taking and Transcription Tools

Chunking: Breaking Information Into Manageable Steps (classroom)

Digital Note-Taking and Transcription Tools