Memory+Task

   In Chapter Three Dr. Mel Levine describes the memory demands placed upon students as they progress in school to be “increasingly stringent and strenuous”. The task I selected was a test I had taken in U.S. History when I was in 11th grade.   Prior to scaffolding this task at home or in school for a student that struggles with memory, I would need to know that student’s weaknesses and strengths. Knowing their weaknesses and strengths would enable me to formulate good strategies to help them accomplish the task at hand. According to Dr. Mel Levine’s chart on Formats for the Presentation of Information **(Table 3.1)** it would also be beneficial to know if the student processes information better visually or linguistically.   
 *  Task: Taking a Social Studies Exam on the Presidents of the United States of America **
 * Students must list the full names of all 44 Presidents of the United States
 * Students must list the years each President was in Office
 * Students must list a significant fact about each President
 *  What are the memory demands? Be as specific as possible. **
 *  For this task the student: **
 * Should be able to enter new information into their short term memory, consolidate the information into their long term memory and finally for the exam be able to draw upon that knowledge by accessing their long term memory.
 * The student needs to be able to register information on all 44 presidents with significant //depth processing /sufficient intensity// and keep together new pieces of information about each president so that it remains meaningful.
 * Use //Sequential, Linear and Procedural formats(dates and related events)//
 * Student should be able to paraphrase, make paired associations and serial chains connections
 * Be able to recall content specific information
 *  How might this task be scaffolded for an individual who struggles with memory? **
 *  Struggles with Short Term or Long Term Memory **

>>  Teachers should be able to present new information or a task (quiz, test, exam, individual or group assignment) in a way where the student doesn’t feel like their brain is being overloaded.
 * Make sure they have strong mental energy and process information clearly
 * Use various rehearsal strategies
 * 1)  Flash cards - especially for kids whose strength is visual processing. The cards could have a picture of the president on one side and the name and date on the other. The flash cards could be used to play a memory game with a parent or peer.
 * 1)  Rhymes, acronyms or anagrams
 * 2)  Diagrams
 * 3)  Practice paraphrasing with things that interest them movies, book, TV show
 * 4)  Writing notes and keeping good lists
 * 5)  A memory plan(See Chapter three page 60 Figure 3.2 ). This is very appropriate for 11th graders. They should have developed strategies by now and can share these strategies with their peers, giving each other ideas.
 * 6)  Repetition without being criticized
 * 7)  Record themselves on tape - especially for kids who process information best linguistically. They can listen to their recording over and over.
 * For kids who really struggle with accessing/retrieving information, consider assigning the task in pairs and pairing them up with someone with stronger ability to recall names and dates. The student who struggles with recall could focus on the more open ended part of the assignment (what was interesting about that president? What was something important that they did?)