Working memory and attention are the foundation of all learning. In children with learning differences these functions are often overloaded because they are used to compensate for the specific difficulty.
Working memory is the brain’s “whiteboard”: it temporarily holds the information needed for a current task. Its capacity is limited (3–5 items in children).
In a child with learning differences, a large share of that capacity is used up by decoding or by the act of writing, leaving little room for comprehension or reflection.
Neuroscience
The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is the seat of working memory. It matures late (up to age 25), which is why children naturally have a more limited working memory than adults.
Find every exercise for memory and attention in our interactive ebook. Pick the ones that suit your child and download them as PDFs.
Access the exercisesDyslexia
Dyslexia is a specific reading learning difference that affects 5 to 10% of children. It is not a lack of intelligence or willpower — it is a neurological difference in how the brain processes the sounds of language.
Dysorthography
Dysorthography is a specific spelling learning difference, often linked to dyslexia. The dysorthographic child makes persistent errors despite suitable, repeated teaching.
Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia affects 3 to 7% of children. It is not “being bad at maths” — it is a neurological difficulty understanding quantities, numeration and calculation.