Improve Reading Comprehension: Three Tools for Working Memory Challenges

Presented by LeAnn Nickelsen

Many struggling readers are held back by their difficulties with working memory. When students cannot retain information long enough to make sense of what they’re reading, comprehension suffers, frustration grows, and teachers may misidentify the root cause.

In this high-impact webinar, K–12 educators will learn why working memory is critical for reading comprehension and discover practical strategies (AKA: Working Memory Workarounds) to make reading more accessible for all learners. You’ll leave with three classroom-ready tools that reduce cognitive load, support deeper thinking, and foster independent comprehension habits.

This session combines the latest cognitive science with actionable classroom strategies, providing concrete examples, flexible scaffolds, and ready-to-use practices that you can implement immediately.

Participants will be able to:

• Explain common working memory challenges during reading and understand why Working Memory Workarounds can help their students succeed
• Apply powerful pre-teaching and priming strategies to reduce cognitive load
• Create chunked, scaffolded reading experiences that support learners with weak working memory
• Guide students through active processing strategies, such as annotating, paraphrasing, asking questions, and visualizing, to strengthen comprehension while reading
• BONUS: Integrate writing-to-learn routines that help students solidify understanding after reading