Micro teach 2013 SHERYL aSHTON Aims To understand the relevance of visual resources for people with Down Syndrome and to learn to use and produce some.

Objectives Identify the key components of working memory and the implications for a person with Down Syndrome. Recognise the purpose of visual resources for people with Down Syndrome. Produce a short visual timetable.

What we will do First you will sit and listen. Next you will work together in pairs Then share your answers with the class

You will sit and listen again Then put your hand up to answer questions

You will do some more sitting and listening Make a short visual timetable

Write a sentence about something you have learned today and think about ways you could apply this approach Share your sentence with the class

Working Memory (WM)  is the term used to refer to a brain system responsible for temporarily storing and manipulating information. It functions as a mental workspace that can be flexibly used to support everyday cognitive activities that require both the simultaneous processing and storage of information. Tracy Packiam Alloway - Educational Research and Reviews Vol. 1 (4), pp. 134-139, July 2006 

What is working memory in practical terms? In pairs discuss for one minute and jot down your thoughts and ideas. Feedback from each pair.

Understanding Working Memory Alan Baddeley and Graham Hitch proposed a model of working memory in Cambridge in 1974, in an attempt to describe a more accurate model of short-term memory. Their original model identified three components:

A central executive – the part of the system which processes information And two slave systems or temporary stores, specialised for holding information: The phonological loop - stores and rehearses speech-based information The visuo-spatial scratch pad – manipulates visual information

Baddley’s model of working memory

Sequences and links visual and verbal information to long term memory. In 2000 Baddeley added a third slave system to his model, the episodic buffer. Sequences and links visual and verbal information to long term memory.

What Everyday things Are affected by working memory ? Planning for an activity Spelling words Remembering and following directions Grasping the core of a conversation Mental arithmetic Reading comprehension

Working Memory Impacts on:

Research has demonstrated that: The phonological loop system is thought to be essential for spoken language learning as it holds the sound pattern of the word as the child learns the meaning. There is evidence of impairment in phonological loop function for people with Down Syndrome.

Supporting working memory in the classroom The demand to process spoken language in the classroom is usually high. It is important to give as many ways as possible to support the person’s learning. This includes verbal instructions given about the day’s activities, classroom routines and expectations upon the student.

Visual supports for learning This includes: any verbal presentation from the teacher, the activities undertaken, and recording of responses and assessment linked with the aims of the lesson. Information illustrated visually, can support lessons with words, sentences, pictures and symbols through lists, timetables and writing frames.

Writing Frames

Visual Timetables A visual timetable is a helpful way of explaining to the learner what is going to take place in the session, orienting them throughout the sequence of activities and making clear what is expected of them.

You will briefly sit and listen to the instructions to: Make a short visual timetable

Making a Visual Timetable Working in small groups: Use the pictures and sentence strips in the envelope to create a Visual Timetable of one of the Microteach sessions run by a member of your group. Use the blue tack provided to stick the pictures and words onto the sheet.

What have you learned? Write a sentence or two to summarise what you have learned today. Share your sentence with the class.

Have we met our Objectives? Identify the key components of working memory and the implications for a person with Down Syndrome. Recognise the purpose of visual resources for people with Down Syndrome. Produce a short visual timetable. Thank you for taking part