Does Dyslexia Affect Working Memory? What the Research Means for You

If you or your child find it difficult to remember instructions, keep track of information or hold an idea in mind while writing, you may wonder whether dyslexia is the explanation.

Dyslexia can be associated with working memory difficulties, but this is not true for everyone. Having dyslexia does not mean that all aspects of memory will be difficult, and having memory difficulties does not necessarily mean someone has dyslexia.

The research helps us understand possible patterns. An assessment helps us consider what those patterns mean for an individual.

What is working memory?

Working memory helps us hold information in mind while using it.

For example, you might use it to remember a question while working out your answer, or keep track of the steps in a calculation.

Short-term memory is closely related but involves briefly retaining information, such as remembering a number long enough to write it down. Working memory adds the demand of using or managing that information.

Different tasks involve different kinds of information. Some involve spoken language or speech sounds; others involve visual patterns or locations. A person may find one kind of task much easier than another.

What does research tell us about dyslexia and memory?

Research comparing children with and without dyslexia has found average differences on verbal and visuospatial working memory tasks. Difficulties involving sound-based information have been particularly prominent in these findings.

Research involving broader groups of children with reading difficulties has also identified differences in short-term and working memory performance. However, studies vary in the children included and the tasks used.

These are group findings. They cannot tell us exactly how one child or adult will perform, or which support they need.

They also do not establish that dyslexia directly causes a memory difficulty. Reading development and memory are related in complex ways, alongside language, attention, teaching and other factors.

Why are speech sounds relevant?

Reading an unfamiliar word can involve identifying its sounds and keeping them available while blending them together. Spelling can involve holding a sequence of sounds in mind while selecting and ordering letters.

These activities draw on several skills. Sound-based memory is one part of the picture, alongside recognising and manipulating speech sounds, knowing letter–sound relationships and developing knowledge of spelling patterns.

It is useful to distinguish phonological memory from phonological awareness:

• Phonological memory involves briefly retaining sound-based information.

• Phonological awareness involves recognising and working with the sound structure of words, such as identifying or separating their sounds.

They are related, but difficulty with one does not automatically establish difficulty with the other.

Does everyone with dyslexia have poor working memory?

No. There is no single memory profile that everyone with dyslexia shares.

The current Delphi definition adopted by the British Dyslexia Association recognises that working memory can contribute to the impact of dyslexia. It does not make a working memory difficulty a requirement for diagnosis.

Someone may have dyslexia and perform comfortably on particular memory tasks. Another person may find those tasks difficult without having dyslexia.

This is why statements such as “People with dyslexia have bad memories” are too broad. They can create expectations that do not reflect the person’s experience.

What about visual memory?

Research has identified average differences on some visuospatial working memory tasks in children with dyslexia. This does not mean that every child has a general visual memory difficulty.

Equally, we should not assume that everyone with dyslexia has exceptional visual skills.

Remembering the position of shapes in a test is different from understanding a diagram, recognising a familiar place or recalling an event. A result on one task cannot describe every aspect of someone’s visual thinking.

The useful approach is to identify the person’s actual strengths and needs.

Can a memory test diagnose dyslexia?

No. A memory score can contribute useful information, but it cannot establish dyslexia on its own.

A dyslexia assessment brings together developmental and educational history, reading and spelling attainment, relevant processing skills, observations and the person’s everyday experiences.

The British Dyslexia Association describes diagnostic assessment as considering literacy and underlying learning skills, while also exploring other factors that may affect learning.

The question is whether the evidence, considered together, supports a diagnosis and helps explain the difficulties.

What if memory scores are low but reading and spelling are developing well?

This needs careful interpretation.

A low score on a processing task does not automatically mean someone has dyslexia. We need evidence about whether reading and spelling development is, or has been, affected.

For some people, appropriate teaching, support and other skills may help them manage literacy demands. Their history, effort and everyday experiences remain relevant, even when some attainment scores fall within the average range.

For others, literacy develops without significant difficulty despite a lower score on a particular processing task. Especially in younger children, development needs to be considered over time.

We should neither overlook genuine literacy difficulties nor assume that they must exist because a memory score is low.

Does forgetting instructions mean someone has a working memory difficulty?

Not necessarily.

Following an instruction involves hearing it, attending to it, understanding the language, remembering it and acting on it. Difficulty at any point can look like forgetting.

For example, a child may struggle because the instruction contains unfamiliar vocabulary. Another may remember the information but lose track when interrupted.

Trying shorter instructions or providing a reminder can help identify useful support. Improvement with a strategy does not, by itself, diagnose the underlying cause.

Can working memory training improve reading and spelling?

People can improve at memory activities they practise, but that improvement does not necessarily transfer to literacy.

A large meta-analysis found no convincing evidence of reliable improvements in word decoding or reading comprehension from working memory training when compared with active control groups.

Memory games can still be enjoyable. However, programmes should not be presented as an established treatment for dyslexia or a substitute for teaching that directly addresses reading and spelling.

What can help in everyday life?

When a task places heavy demands on memory, making information available can help. Options include short instructions, accessible notes, checklists and worked examples.

Someone might also benefit from listening to an explanation before taking notes, or recording ideas before beginning a piece of writing. NHS guidance recommends reducing unnecessary memory demands through clear instructions and accessible reminders.

Ask what helps, trial it and review the difference it makes. A useful strategy should support the person’s independence and understanding.

When might an assessment be useful?

If memory concerns occur alongside persistent reading and spelling difficulties, a dyslexia assessment may help clarify the picture.

If memory is the main concern and there are no literacy difficulties, a different starting point may be more appropriate. Discussing this before booking can help you choose an assessment that addresses your questions.

You can book a free advice call to talk through your concerns about yourself or your child and consider whether a dyslexia assessment would be helpful.

My priority is self-understanding: helping people make sense of what they find difficult, recognise what supports them and feel more confident asking for what they need.

For further information, explore my free courses and resources, including videos and self-help guides. The courses are self-paced, with audio available throughout.