Memory development

Memory development after the preschool years largely involves the acquisition of strategies for using one’s memory rather than structural changes in the brain. This article reviews recent memory development research and four general principles of strategy development: (a) strategy acquisition occurs throughout the school years; (b) younger children can be trained to use strategies which are spontaneously used by older children; (c) training can result in dramatic improvements in memory performance; and, (d) children often fail to maintain and generalize trained strategies. Training needs to address children’s knowledge and beliefs about memory-their metamemory-in order to achieve longer term benefits. Educational applications involve (a) determining which is the appropriate strategy to train, (b) training at the appropriate level, and (c) adapting individualized training programs to the classroom.