Defects in working memory–the brain’s temporary storage bin–might explain why one child cannot read her history book and another gets lost in algebra, Reuters reports. As many as 10 percent of school age children may suffer from poor working memory, British researchers said in a report last week, yet the problem remains rarely identified. "You can think of working memory as a pure measure of your child’s potential," Dr. Tracey Alloway of Britain‘s Durham University said in a telephone interview. "Some psychologists consider working memory to be the new IQ because we find that working memory is the single most important predictor of learning." Many children with poor working memory are considered lazy or dim. But Alloway said with early identification and memory training, many of these underachievers can improve…

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