storage , interaction with long term memory , processing , and guidance toward current goals . Then he summarized some positive effects of working memory , such as that people who have outstanding working memories turn out to be good storytellers , and perform excellently on standardized tests . However , working memory also has its shortcomings in capacity , duration and focus . Fortunately , at the end of this speech , Dr . Doolittle stated some effective ways to deal with these limits , for example , processing simultaneously , practicing repeatedly , guessing and checking , and connecting the new to the old . Combining this with my own experience , here I am going to say more about repeated practice .
Recently , I have re-started learning English , because for years , my English has not improved . As we all know , when you speak a foreign language , you should pay attention to your pronunciation , word choice , context , logical thinking and so on . However , when you speak your own language , the burden on your working memory , in general , is not so heavy . This is because you do not need to waste much of your working memory on dealing with your pronunciation or your word choice . So , how can we release our working memory while we are speaking a foreign language ? My way is to do “ deliberate practice ,” which was first put forward by a Swedish psychologist - K . Ander Ericsson . He insists that although statistics show the limit of working memory is 5 - 9 digits , his experiments show that it can be improved to 80 digits in less than 400 hours of training . I am not sure whether we can change our working memory , but I quite agree with the following words from his article : “ practice puts brains in your muscles .” Personally , I understand this to mean that through practice muscles can share the burden of your working memory .
Now I will introduce one kind of practice suggested by my English coach when I am learning English . The problem I am going to deal with is “ linking ” in pronunciation , specifically , for example , linking in the phrase “ my umbrella .” First , I repeat it . When I can say it , I divide it into groups and add rhythm to it . ( Groups and rhythm will take up your working memory , thus if you can still pronounce it fluently , your linking has improved , but keep in mind that there is no boundary to the definition of “ mastery .”) However , after such practice , I found I had made a new word – ‘ yumbrella .’ And even after I say ‘ my ’ for a while , I ’ ll pronounce ‘ umbrella ’ as ‘ yumbrella ’. Then , I regulated my practice . I said ‘ my ’ and ‘ umbrella ’ separately , then linking them together , which is practiced as one group . This arrangement helped me to understand ‘ linking ’ is not just the production of sounds , but a natural sound flow combined with the meaning . In other words , by doing focused , repeated practice , I made the same natural blend that native speakers use . Through regulated practice of parts , I learned the whole at a higher level . In sum , notice your problem , improve your design until you feel comfortable with it , and repeat your practice . The most important thing is to “ practice with your head .”
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