Chapter 2, page 44
2.7a In this diagram, working memory contains both new information and old information.
Encoding is therefore successful.
When you understand that learning typically involves integrating new information with old
information, then you can readily understand why learning is difficult in some situations. As we noted
earlier, when learners use up most of their working memory space for decoding or comprehending
individual sentences, there is not any space left in working memory to bring in old knowledge to connect to
the new information. This situation is illustrated in Figure 2.7b. Here, the small nās symbolize that the
student has only small chunks in memory at one time, perhaps individual words or even individual sounds
rather than larger unit. There is no space left to bring in old information, so in this case, little learning
occurs.
2.7b. Working memory is filled with lower-level, unchunked information. Therefore, successful
encoding does not occur.
NNOOON Nworking memorynnnnnn nworking memory