Children with low working memory typically make slow educational progress, and it has been speculated that difficulties in meeting the heavy working memory demands of the classroom may be a contributory factor. Intensive working memory training has been shown to boost performance on untrained memory tasks in a variety of populations. This study investigated whether the benefits of training extend to everyday situations in which working memory appears to play a role, as well as to other cognitive skills and academic abilities. A randomised controlled trial was conducted with children with low working memory aged 7-9 years. They received either adaptive working memory training, non-adaptive working memory training, or no training. Adaptive training was associated with selective improvements in a variety of untrained tests of working memory, but not in other cognitive skills or academic abilities. Gains in verbal working memory were sustained one year after training, at which time improvements in a practical working memory task were also observed. These findings have implications for the management of children with working memory problems.

Darren L. Dunning, Joni Holmes, & Susan E Gathercole. Does working memory training improve the classroom performance of children with low working memory? A randomised controlled trial. Manuscript undergoing revision