CHILDREN who get poor grades in reading and maths, who are easily distracted and have problems finishing schoolwork are often labelled "thick" by parents and teachers.

But, for some of them at least, the problem may not be a lack of intelligence, or even a lack of commitment, but simply a poor memory.

And the good news for such children - and parents and teachers - is that there's something that can be done about it.

Research from Durham University suggests that 10 per cent of children, or almost 500,000 primary school-aged children nationally, may have a working memory problem that causes them to do worse than expected at school.

The scientists there have designed the world's first tools - in the shape of a checklist and computer program - to help teachers identify and assess children's memory capacity in the classroom.

There is also an online Working Memory Tester & Trainer for parents to use at home. Dr Tracy Alloway, who led the research, says: "Working memory is the single most important predictor of learning, much more so than IQ.

"So, when a teacher's making comments like a child's a daydreamer or lazy, it could be because the child doesn't have a big enough working memory - they forget what they need to do, so they're not able to build up on learning."

The tools are designed to assess the Working Memory Quotient of children aged from four upwards, and the researchers suggest that parents get their kids to take the £19.99 online WMQ test if they:

- Get poor grades in reading and maths

- Are easily distracted

- Have problems finishing classroom assignments

- Have trouble following directions from teachers

- Are reluctant to answer questions in class.

The results of the test give parents and teachers a profile of the child's verbal and visual working memory, which is what enables us to complete tasks such as mental arithmetic or memorise directions.

"The tools provide a unique profile for the child that will help their teachers build up the best strategies to help them," says Alloway.

Tackling a poor memory is harder for older children because their learning is much further behind, she says, adding: "On the other hand, older children tend to be aware that they struggle with memory, and they might have come up with strategies to improve it on their own."

The memory-boosting program the researchers have devised, a version of which is being used in more than 50 schools nationwide, includes advice on building up routines and making sure items are kept in the same location, and consistency when it comes to schedules.

These strategies allow the child to absorb more from lessons instead of worrying about which books to take where, and so on. There are also tips on how parents can help children remember words through various games, encouraging them to think about how the words they hear are made and so better commit them to memory.

The WMQ test is available at memoryandlearning.com

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