Neural Pathways of Hope

Struggling With Memory? Understanding the 3 Types of Memory and How to Strengthen Them

Have you ever walked into a room and suddenly forgotten why you went there? Maybe your child can learn a math fact one day but seems to have forgotten it the next. Or perhaps following multi-step directions, remembering names, or keeping track of several pieces of information at once feels unusually difficult.

We often describe all of these experiences simply as having a “bad memory,” but memory is much more complex than that.

Different types of memory work together to help us temporarily hold information, work with information in the moment, and store what we’ve learned so we can retrieve it later.

Understanding these differences can help us look beyond forgetfulness and begin asking a more helpful question:

Which part of the memory process may be challenging, and what cognitive skills might need additional support?

Let’s look at three important areas of memory: short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory.

What Is Short-Term Memory?

Short-term memory is our ability to temporarily hold a small amount of information for a brief period of time.

We rely on short-term memory throughout the day. We use it when remembering a name we just heard, holding onto a direction long enough to follow it, or keeping track of information we need for the task in front of us.

When short-term memory is difficult, a person may:

• Walk into a room to get something and forget what they went there to retrieve.
• Have difficulty remembering a sequence of instructions.
• Forget someone’s name only moments after being introduced.
• Lose track of information when attention is interrupted or distracted.

For example, a teacher might tell a student, “Take out your pencil, write your name at the top of the page, and complete the first five questions.” The student may remember part of the instruction but lose some of the details before completing the task.

This doesn’t necessarily mean the student wasn’t listening. Holding onto that information long enough to act on it requires cognitive skills, including short-term memory and attention.

What Is Working Memory?

Working memory is our ability to temporarily hold information in our minds while doing something with it.

I like to think of working memory as a kind of mental workspace. It allows us to hold onto information while organizing it, manipulating it, comparing it, or using it to complete a task.

A student may need to listen to instructions, remember what was said, use selective attention to ignore distractions, and recall previously learned information.

When working memory is difficult, a person may:

• Have difficulty following multi-step directions, especially when they must remember and act on several pieces of information.
• Struggle to listen and take notes at the same time.
• Lose track of steps while solving a math problem.
• Have difficulty keeping information in mind long enough to use it.
• Become overwhelmed when too much information or too many choices are presented at once.

Working memory and short-term memory are closely related, but they aren’t exactly the same. Short-term memory helps us temporarily hold information. Working memory allows us to hold and work with that information.

That difference can be important when trying to understand why a learner is having difficulty.

Why Is Working Memory Important for Learning?

Working memory plays an important role in many academic and everyday tasks.

Think about everything a student’s brain may need to do during a seemingly simple assignment. They may need to listen to instructions, remember what was said, ignore distractions, recall previously learned information, decide what to do next, and complete the task—all while keeping the original goal in mind.

When working memory is challenging, a student may understand the material but still have difficulty demonstrating what they know.

This is one reason I believe it’s important to look beyond the behavior we see. A child who repeatedly asks, “What am I supposed to do?” may not simply be failing to listen. There may be underlying cognitive processes making it difficult to hold onto and use the information they have been given.

What Is Long-Term Memory?

Long-term memory allows us to store information and retrieve it later—from hours or days later to many years in the future.

Long-term memory includes different kinds of information. Some memories involve facts, knowledge, and personal experiences that we consciously recall. Other types involve learned skills and processes that eventually become more automatic, such as riding a bicycle or typing.

In learning, long-term memory allows a student to retrieve information they have previously learned rather than having to start over each time.

When accessing long-term memory is difficult, a student may:

• Learn information but have difficulty recalling it later.
• Study for a test but struggle to retrieve what they learned when they need it.
• Need significantly more repetition before new information seems to “stick.”
• Have difficulty recalling previously learned facts, concepts, or procedures.
• Remember information in one setting but struggle to retrieve it in another.

A Note About Significant Changes in Memory

Everyday forgetfulness and learning-related memory difficulties are different from significant or unexplained changes in memory.

New or worsening difficulty recognizing familiar people or places, repeatedly asking the same questions without remembering the answer, substantial gaps in important memories, or other significant changes in memory can have many causes and should be discussed with an appropriate healthcare professional.

The information in this article is intended to be educational and is not meant to diagnose or treat a medical condition.

Why Understanding the Type of Memory Matters

Memory difficulties don’t look the same for everyone.

One student may understand a lesson but have difficulty holding onto a teacher’s multi-step directions long enough to complete them. Another may remember the directions but struggle to mentally work with several pieces of information at once. Still another may learn information successfully but have difficulty retrieving it days or weeks later.

When we simply say someone has a “bad memory,” we may miss what is actually happening.

Looking more closely at short-term memory, working memory, and long-term memory can help us better understand where the difficulty may be occurring and what cognitive skills may need additional support.

It can also help us move away from simply telling a learner to “try harder to remember” and begin asking why remembering is difficult.

Are Attention and Memory Connected?

Absolutely. Memory doesn’t work in isolation. Before we can remember information, we first have to notice and attend to it. Attention is actually made up of several different processes, including sustained, selective, divided, and flexible attention. If you’d like to better understand these differences, read Understanding the 4 Types of Attention and How to Strengthen Them.

Memory also works alongside other cognitive processes involved in learning, including attention, processing, reasoning, language, and visual and auditory processing.

This is one reason a holistic approach to cognitive training is important to me. Rather than looking at memory as one isolated skill, we can consider how multiple cognitive processes are working together.

Can Memory Skills Be Strengthened?

Cognitive skills can be challenged and practiced through intentional activities. Rather than simply telling someone to “remember better,” cognitive training provides opportunities to actively engage the thinking processes involved in learning, remembering, organizing, and using information.

At Neural Pathways of Hope, I use the Equipping Minds cognitive training program, a holistic, research-informed approach that uses engaging, interactive activities to work with multiple cognitive skills.

Rather than viewing memory as an isolated skill, activities can engage attention, working memory, processing, reasoning, language, and other cognitive processes together.

How Does Equipping Minds Work With Memory?

One of the things I appreciate about Equipping Minds is that activities that appear simple—or may even feel like games—can involve meaningful cognitive work.

Equipping Minds incorporates concepts influenced by Reuven Feuerstein’s approach to mediated learning and Aristotle’s Categories, bringing well-developed principles of thinking and learning into practical application.

Complex cognitive concepts are translated into approachable, interactive activities that engage the learner in observing, remembering, comparing, categorizing, reasoning, and thinking more intentionally. This allows meaningful cognitive work to happen through activities that can feel engaging and even playful to the learner.

Instead of focusing on one isolated ability, the program takes a more holistic approach to the way cognitive skills interact with one another.

An Individualized Approach to Cognitive Training

No two learners are exactly alike, and I don’t believe cognitive training should look exactly the same for everyone.

One learner may need additional support with working memory and attention. Another may need more help with processing, reasoning, or retrieving information. Each learner brings different strengths, challenges, experiences, and needs.

When I’m working with a child, I also recognize something very important:

The parent knows their child best.

Parents are often already investing tremendous amounts of time and energy into helping their child—repeating directions, reviewing schoolwork, practicing skills, researching options, and trying to understand why something that seems easy for others may be so difficult for their child.

My goal isn’t to replace the parent or add another burden. My goal is to come alongside them.

That support can look different depending on the individual or family’s needs:

• I can work directly with a student using the holistic Equipping Minds program.
• I can train a parent, caregiver, or individual to implement the program themselves.
• I can help families understand how and why the activities are being used.
• I can serve as a go-to resource for adapting activities, troubleshooting challenges, and helping families feel more confident implementing the program at home.

Ultimately, my goal isn’t simply to identify an area of difficulty. It’s to provide encouragement, practical tools, individualized support, and hope while helping each learner work toward stronger cognitive skills.

Frequently Asked Questions About Memory

What is the difference between short-term memory and working memory?

Short-term memory temporarily holds information. Working memory goes a step further by allowing us to hold information in mind while actively doing something with it.

For example, remembering three numbers for a few seconds uses short-term memory. Holding those numbers in mind while adding them together requires working memory.

Why does my child learn something and then forget it?

There can be many reasons. Attention, working memory, how information was initially processed, the amount of repetition and practice, and the ability to retrieve stored information can all play a role.

Rather than assuming a child simply isn’t trying or didn’t study enough, it can be helpful to look more closely at the cognitive processes involved.

Are attention and memory connected?

Yes. Attention and memory work closely together. We first need to attend to information in order to process it effectively. Difficulties with attention can therefore affect what information is available to remember and retrieve later.

Can memory skills be strengthened?

Memory involves several cognitive processes, and intentional cognitive activities can provide opportunities to practice and challenge those skills. At Neural Pathways of Hope, I use Equipping Minds as a holistic approach to working with memory alongside other cognitive skills involved in learning and thinking.

Wondering If Cognitive Training Could Help?

If you or your child is struggling with memory, working memory, attention, or other cognitive skills, you don’t have to figure out the next step by yourself.

I would be happy to hear what you’re seeing, answer your questions about Equipping Minds, and help you determine whether cognitive training—and what level of support—might be a good fit for you or your child.

Schedule a free 20-minute consultation with Michelle to learn more and explore your options.