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Reading ability and memory span: Long-term memory contributions to span for good and poor readers

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Abstract

A number of studies have shown that childrenwith reading difficulties perform poorly ontests of verbal memory span. The extent towhich differences in memory span for good andpoor readers can be explained by differences ina long-term memory component to span as well asby differences in short-term memory processeswas investigated in this study. Memory spanand rehearsal rate were measured for high andlow frequency words and nonwords. Althoughmemory span performance for high frequencywords was comparable for all reading abilitygroups, good readers had better memory spanperformance for low frequency words. This wasattributable to differences in both short-termand long-term memory contributions to spanperformance. Differences between readingability groups also emerged when memory spanfor nonwords was measured. In this case,differences between groups also appeared to bethe result of difficulties which poor readersencountered in learning newphonologically-based materials (i.e. nonwords). The nature of the inter-relationships betweenmemory span, reading and measures ofphonological awareness are discussed in thelight of these findings.

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  1. University of Wales Swansea, Swansea, United Kingdom

    Siné J.P. McDougall & Rachael Donohoe

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  1. Siné J.P. McDougall
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Correspondence to Siné J.P. McDougall.

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McDougall, S.J., Donohoe, R. Reading ability and memory span: Long-term memory contributions to span for good and poor readers. Reading and Writing 15, 359–387 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1015224830778

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