What is Working Memory?

Working memory is something that we all rely on, and likely struggle with, every single day. Yet few of us could define it. Whether you are trying to remember directions, recall items on a shopping list, or solve a complex problem, you’re using your working memory. But what is it?

Many analogies have been used to describe working memory. Some call it a “mental scratchpad” where your brain temporarily jots down a few notes before they fade away. Others describe it as the “bottleneck in learning,” since it limits how much information we can meaningfully process at once. Still others think of it as a kind of “cognitive workspace” or a physical space in the brain (it’s not) that can hold only a few “bits” of information at once.

Each of these analogies captures part of the truth. Working memory is one of the brain’s executive functions, skills that help us manage information and tasks. It allows us to hold and manipulate information long enough to use it, which makes it essential for learning—and central to understanding how working memory affects learning in teens. 

To understand how working memory operates, it helps to contrast it with long-term memory. While working memory is limited in both capacity and duration, long-term memory is essentially limitless. Researchers have yet to find a limit on how much or how long we can store information there. 

Attention also plays a key role. It acts as a gateway through which new information enters the brain. When we pay attention to something, it moves into working memory, where it’s processed and linked to what we already know- our prior knowledge stored in our long-term memory. In this way, working memory is an active process: it selects information from long-term memory, combines it with new input, and reorganizes it to create meaning. 

From there, new information can either fade away or become consolidated into long-term memory. In learning, our goal is to help students move information from working memory into long-term memory in ways that make it stick, is robustly encoded, and is easy to retrieve later. This process is especially important when considering how working memory affects learning in teens, as academic demands increase and cognitive load intensifies.

Connections with Neurodiversity

While everyone has limited working memory capacity, students with an identified learning difference are more likely to experience challenges with it. Estimates vary, but research suggests that roughly 80% of students with ADHD and 60-80% of students with dyslexia show some degree of working memory difficulty. This makes sense: when students are already working harder to decode, process, or organize information, more of their mental “workspace” is occupied, leaving less room to hold and manipulate new information. 

Still, it’s important to remember that working memory challenges vary widely from student to student, even among those with the same diagnosis. A label such as ADHD or dyslexia does not automatically mean a student will struggle with working memory, and many students without any diagnosis may find it challenging at times. Each learner’s profile is unique. 

The encouraging news is that once we understand what working memory challenges can look like, we can take concrete steps to support students. Research-informed strategies, many of them simple and easy to implement, can make a significant difference in helping learners manage cognitive load and build confidence—particularly during the teenage years, when understanding how working memory affects learning in teens can shape long-term academic success.  

Research-Informed Strategies 

Once we understand how working memory functions and how easily it can become overloaded, the next step is to translate the science into everyday strategies. Our goal is not to “fix” working memory. It is to lighten the load so students can use their full thinking power.

Below are five foundational strategies for children and teens.

1. Say It, See It, Repeat It

Working memory is supported when information is reinforced through repetition. This can include verbal, visual, or written rehearsal.

For younger students, repetition serves as a key anchor for learning. For example, a third-grader could never remember the end-of-day routine until they practiced repeating it back:

• “First binder, then Chromebook, then water bottle.”

Within a week, he no longer needed the prompt.

• At home, try: “Tell me what you’re going to do first.”

For teens, it sounds like:

• “Talk me through your first move.”

One high schooler said, “Saying it out loud makes my brain believe I’ve already started.”

Why it works: Repetition strengthens the memory trace, making it more likely to transfer into long-term memory.

2. Show AND Tell (Dual Coding)

When information is made both verbal and visual, the brain doesn’t have to hold everything in one system and instead can use two pathways to encode new information. This can reduce cognitive load.

For younger students:

• Picture checklists

• First–Then boards

• Visual timers

For teens:

• Digital planners

• Weekly dashboards

• A whiteboard with the day’s top three priorities

One teen explained, “If I can see my week, I can own it.”

Even small cues help, like taping a picture of a “clean bedroom” near a light switch or placing a visual timer on the desk.

Why it works: Dual coding distributes cognitive work across multiple brain systems, increasing retention and lowering working memory demands.

3. Connect New Information to What They Already Know

Our brains are pattern-seeking. New information “sticks” best when anchored to something familiar, especially if there is an emotional connection.

In a reading group, asking, “Does this remind you of anything in your life?” sparked meaningful improvements in comprehension and recall.

One teen memorized historical dates only after connecting them to music releases from the same year. The emotional link mattered.

Why it works: Connecting new concepts to prior knowledge reduces the number of “new bits” working memory must hold at once.

4. Take It Out of Their Head (Externalize the Plan)

Working memory is limited. External tools expand it.

Younger students:

• Sticky notes

• First–Then boards

• Picture checklists

At home:

• A family command center

• A “launch pad” for essentials

• A checklist by the door

Teens:

• Google Calendars

• Shared to-do lists

• A whiteboard outlining the next 1–3 steps

One student once said, “I used to think reminders were cheating. Now I realize they’re strategy.”

Checklists are powerful because they reduce cognitive load; this is why pilots and surgeons rely on them even though they are experts.

Why it works: Externalizing frees the mental “scratch pad,” reduces decision fatigue, and improves follow-through.

5. Make It a Habit (Automate the Easy Stuff)

Habits reduce the need for conscious effort, particularly when students are tired, stressed, or overwhelmed.

Younger students benefit from:

• Predictable routines

• Clear start-of-day and end-of-day sequences
  

Teens benefit from:

• Rituals that run on autopilot

• Habit stacking (e.g., “After brushing teeth, check planner”)

One student began consistently turning in homework once he stacked it onto an existing routine: “After doing the dishes, check the planner.”

Why it works: Automating basic tasks frees working memory for problem-solving and creativity.

In part two of the Working Memory in Action blog series, we will share advanced strategies for adolescents and signs of working memory overload.