Literacy Related Activities and difficulties with Memory/Recall

Remember, disability is a highly individualised experience. People with the same disability may have very different capabilities and/or needs, so it is always best to discuss any adaptations to practice, the environment or equipment directly with the disabled person themselves rather than making assumptions about what adjustments may be suitable.

People with dyslexia, dyspraxia and/or acquired brain injury (for example, through stroke or accidents) may well experience difficulties with memory. In addition, those who are taking prescribed medication may find that their memory and concentration are affected.

Short-term memory is the ability to hold information for a limited period of time, such as visual images (e.g. a shape or face) and / or phonological / auditory information (e.g. a spoken telephone number or sentence). Information can be held in this way for a few seconds. If information needs to be held for longer, a system of rehearsal can be used (e.g. repeating a number to yourself to help you remember). Should one of these skills fail to work in some way, this could lead to specific short-term memory problems. However, problems that appear to be due to poor memory can also have other causes, such as inattention, language difficulties and general learning difficulties.

Some students with short-term memory disorders can also have particular problems in a number of areas, including: speech and language difficulties and/or remembering instructions and these can impact on their ability to make good progress with literacy.

Long-term memory refers to a person's ability to retain information over time, e.g. for minutes to hours or longer. Students with weaknesses in their long-term (episodic) memory can exhibit particular patterns of learning, behavioural and social difficulties that may have an effect on their ability to function well within a group, for example:

• they may get lost easily;
• they may repeat things previously done because they do not remember doing them the first time.

The ability to look at a board or screen and copy information onto a page can be highly problematic for those with short-term memory issues, and they may make lots of mistakes. Teachers can support students with these difficulties by giving them copies of their own notes, or – even better – by providing handouts for the whole class so that the disabled students are not singled out.

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