very intertersted in the replies to this one!  My son (same grade/ age) has the same issues! I have not been able to find a good method other than constant repetition - which only serves to frustrate him more.  The one thing I do try is basic memory games to try and strengthen his memory ( like the alphabet game where you start with A and go back and forth naming something that starts with that letter. Each time you have to say all the words for each letters).  His school has done nothing really to help him on this issue.

see if you can get him on the 504 accommodations.  My daughter is on STATS which is similair and they give her the extra time she needs.  It’s not easy and you have to have very good documentation showing the disabilities.

My son has ADD and memory issues.  The trick is to figure out what can and should be focused on so that it moves from short term to long term memory.  For example, we finally figured out he should have only two folders, one for homework and all other papers that need to come home, and another folder for work to turn in.  Anything more complicated than that and he wouldn’t remember where he put stuff or if he had done it, but he could hold onto the concept of the two folders. 

Teachers have to put stuff online or send assignments, etc., through email.  Having a buddy in class (and his or her parent), if possible, is also a good back-up because teachers will also be forgetful and some just won’t believe you or understand what it’s like for a child to have memory issues. 

As for getting things into long term memory, that involves repetition and duration. The more often you repeat something, the better its chance of getting to long term memory.  It’s getting past short-term memory that is the issue.  I used to sit with my son in 5th and 6th grade and read along with him in preparation for tests, asking him to repeat key points, and then going over the questions and guides in the back of the book.  We’d go over those again in the morning before the tests. This mostly worked. 

What’s the nature of his dysgraphia?

My son has an IEP.  I have requested that prior to tests, he be supplied with completed study guides that contain ONLY key concepts that will be on the test (this is on his IEP).  Providing everything that has been gone over during a unit is too much information and is setting him up for failure.
He needs to put all of his time and energy on studying only what is going to be on the test.

Brain training games can target Memory.  Lots of other targets as well.
Lumosity.com
braintraining.com
attengo.com
the few we have looked into.
My son also has memory problems, though you would be surprised what he can remember!
We have only been doing Lumosity now for a few weeks, so I cannot say its been beneficial at this point.  His training will be on going, so we can get a true idea of the programs benefits. 
Attengo, is one he has tried, but tends to like Lumosity better.  I liked Attengo’s profile assessment, and am encouraging my son to rotate between the two.
Common problem for ADD’ers, my son happens to have Dyslexia as well, so another Dx that can impair memory.
We can improve brain function, so hopeful our brain training helps, Hope the same to you…. ALL!

During 4th grade the issues with remembering anything was totally out of control. We tried: colored folders, check lists, student helper, teacher checking his bag…but inevitably it was always a problem and he didn’t have what he needed.

5th grade was better in part just to maturity. The symptoms become less pronounced with age, but there were still issues with remembering which causes a lot of stress.

What many schools don’t realize, and I hadn’t either, is that this is a medical problem. There are issues with the frontal lobe, which is prohibitive to remembering and this is not the child’s fault. I encountered this lack of understanding in every school meeting I went to. I’d say. “Yes, my son needs to be encouraged to be more responsible BUT ADHD is a disability and we have to temper our expectations and put them in context”.

What we’ve asked for in the IEP:
-Extra copies of all books for home
-Weekly copies of all worksheets, but they aren’t usually cooperative with this one
-Weekly communication with all of his teachers to get updates on progress
-Put the assignments online
-A homework buddy helps too
-The school or school district may have a behavioral consultant who can come in to observe your son and give him tips on being more organized.

The teachers have had many positive comments since we put my son on Ritalin too. They said it had great results

At home to help my son get in the habit of remember things daily I gave him his own calendar. Every month we’d sit and he would write down what class he had each day and anything else that was going on. By the end of this school year he knew what he needed to prepare for just through use of the calendar.
Best of luck!

My 10 year old daughter just got diagnosed with ADD/EF with anxiety & depression. I have a son,12, with LD/ADD/EF. EF is Executive Function Disorder. This is about the front part of the brain. I just put into his IEP for him to have an organizational coach and his own set of textbooks for next year.  He also gets more for memory ans all that goes with it. Check out EF online and get the book “Smart But Scattered”.
God luck. Make sure everything is in clear exact specfic writing.

My son who is now in high school has memory issues as well. we just got him on an IEP because there is so much new information coming at him and he wasn’t able to keep it all in his working memory. Like everyone else the only way he can actually remember information for tests is through repetition. He is doing extensive therapy this summer with a speech therapist (to help with memory) and with our neuropyschologist (program called brain building). In addition he is playing luminosity every day for 10 - 15 minutes. Working memory and short term memory deficits really hamper success in school. I’m hopeful that with this therapy were doing he has a better sophomore year in high school.

lma33167, did your son have noticeable improvement from using either AttenGo or Lumosity?  My child’s latest assessment score on AttenGo was even lower than her initial assessment, so I’m wondering if all the resources we’ve spent on AttenGo, Lumosity, Dual N-Back, etc. are all a waste of time.  :-(

> Attengo, is one he has tried, but tends to like Lumosity better.  I liked Attengo’s profile assessment, and am encouraging my son to rotate between the two.