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What's working in working memory training? An educational perspective.

ABSTRACT: Working memory training programs have generated great interest, with claims that the training interventions can have profound beneficial effects on children's academic and intellectual attainment. We describe the criteria by which to evaluate evidence for or against the benefit of working memory training. Despite the promising results of initial research studies, the current review of all of the available evidence of working memory training efficacy is less optimistic. Our conclusion is that working memory training produces limited benefits in terms of specific gains on short-term and working memory tasks that are very similar to the training programs, but no advantage for academic and achievement-based reading and arithmetic outcomes.

SUBMITTER: Redick TS

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4667976 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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What's working in working memory training? An educational perspective.

Redick Thomas S TS Shipstead Zach Z Wiemers Elizabeth A EA Melby-Lervåg Monica M Hulme Charles C

Educational psychology review 20150602 4

Working memory training programs have generated great interest, with claims that the training interventions can have profound beneficial effects on children's academic and intellectual attainment. We describe the criteria by which to evaluate evidence for or against the benefit of working memory training. Despite the promising results of initial research studies, the current review of all of the available evidence of working memory training efficacy is less optimistic. Our conclusion is that wor ...[more]

PMID: 26640352

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