Working Memory and Strategy Instruction in Children with Learning Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this chapter is to review some of the instructional research completed in our lab related to improving memory performance in children with reading and/or math disabilities. We review studies that focus on (1) the effects of strategy knowledge and strategy training on the working memory (WM) performance as a function of dynamic testing conditions, (2) transfer effects as a function of direct training on WM tasks, and (3) the effects of strategy training on problem solving and transfer measures as a function of variations in working memory capacity. Keywords Reading disabilities • Working memory • Strategies • Strategy knowledgeMemory is the ability to encode, process, and retrieve information that one has been exposed to. As a skill, it is inseparable from learning and academic functioning. Individuals defi cient in memory skills, such as children with learning disabilities (LD), would be expected to have diffi culty on a number of academic and cognitive tasks. In addition to memory performance being linked to performance in several academic (e.g., reading) and cognitive areas (see Swanson & Ashbaker, 2000 , for review), it is a critical area of focus in the fi eld of LD for three reasons. First, it refl ects applied cognition; that is, memory functioning refl ects all aspects of learning. Second, several studies suggest that the memory skills used by students with LD do not appear to exhaust, or even to tap, their ability, and therefore we need to discover instructional procedures that capitalize on their potential. Finally, several intervention programs that attempt to enhance the overall cognition of children and adults with LD rely on principles derived from memory research. This chapter selectively reviews our attempts to improve memory performance in children with

Promoting Spatial Language and Ability Among SLD Children: Can Robot Programming Make a Difference?

“…The literature indicates that children at risk for SLD experience difficulties in working memory in general, but especially visual-spatial memory (Peijnenborgh et al, 2016). Typically developing children need direct intervention to improve memory (Uttal et al, 2013), a need even more urgent for children with learning disabilities due to the latter’s significant difficulty with memory (Swanson, 2016). Thus, it is possible that the children did not progress since the intervention program in the current study did not include direct training in visual-spatial memory, meaning that the children were not asked to perform tasks targeted at memory improvement, such as playing memory games.…”

“…Such difficulties may appear in language skills (Pears et al, 2016), such as understanding instruction; poor vocabulary; and word acquisition (Margalit, 2014). They may be caused by neurologically based problems and impaired verbal memory and visual memory (Swanson, 2016).…”

“…SLDs are very common among children attending school and its frequency ranges between 5% and 17% across the world (Peijnenborgh et al, 2016). These children exhibit low achievement in school because of neurologically based impairments in brain areas that are responsible for memory and perception functioning (Swanson, 2016). These brain impairments disturb basic cognitive functioning and are expressed in impaired memory, delayed information processing, and spatial orientation disruptions (Segal-Drori et al, 2019).…”

“…Children at risk for SLD are also prone to difficulties in performing tasks that require visual-spatial information processing (Chen et al, 2013), specifically, visual-spatial memory (Swanson, 2016). These children exhibit impaired ability to name objects and understand basic spatial concepts in the environment (Chen et al, 2013); their scores in Gardner’s (1996) battery of tests examining visual-spatial ability are below those of their typically developing peers (Hendee, 1997).…”

An investigation on mental representations on coagulation and melting phenomena of preschool pupils with learning disabilities and typical development

“…However, there are some common characteristics that constitute Learning Difficulties as a permanent condition which is likely to follow the child throughout his or her life and as an adult. In particular, students with learning disabilities present difficulties in reading and/or writing, memory and following instructions [19]. They also have problems with mathematical skills and attention retention.…”