Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether the word-learning challenges associated with developmental language disorder (DLD) result from encoding or retention deficits. Method In Study 1, 59 postsecondary students with DLD and 60 with normal development (ND) took the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition, Adult Version…

This study investigated the role of strategy instruction and working memory capacity (WMC) on word problem solving accuracy in children with (n = 100) and without (n = 92) math difficulties (MD). Within classrooms, children in Grades 2 and 3 were randomly assigned to one of four treatment conditions: verbal-only strategies (e.g., underlining…

The authors of this current study compared the memory performance of adolescent students with specific reading disabilities (RD) with that of typical adolescent readers on a newly developed verbal learning test, the "Bergen-Tucson Verbal Learning Test" (BTVLT). This multiple trial test was designed to measure memory acquisition,…

Retroactive interference (RI) in list learning occurs when the learning of a second list of words interferes with the recall of the first learned list. Having the lists be thematically different can reduce retroactive interference within list learning; however, this study demonstrates how RI can be reduced when the lists contain similar words.…

Understanding the underlying qualitative features of memory deficits in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) can provide critical information for early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). This study sought to investigate the utility of both learning and retention measures in (a) the diagnosis of MCI, (b) predicting progression to AD, and (c)…

A review of Verbal Learning and Retention (Lippincott, 1971) by John F. Hall. (CK)

Three groups of 34 learning disabled children (12 to 16 years old) and one control group of normal readers were asked to retain verbal material across distrator intervals ranging from 9 to 24 seconds. LD children's retention of verbal material is more susceptible to interference from similar material than normals. (Author)

Discusses the theory that the effect of repetition is greater when memory for an earlier presentation of the repeated item is less accessible. Describes experiments revealing interactions between the spacing of repetitions and the similarity of repetitions, the type of intervening material and cue effectiveness. (EKN)

Compared the relative performance of 40 patients with a history of alcohol abuse on tasks of short-term semantic and visual memory. Performance on the visual memory tasks was impaired significantly relative to the semantic memory task in a within-subjects analysis of variance. Semantic memory was unimpaired. (Author/ABB)

Research adapted from a doctoral dissertation at the University of Southern California. Reprints from: Arthur J. More, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia, Vancouver 8, Canada.

This study explored the extent and accuracy of the subject's knowledge of his previous recall performance as a function of response mode and response-produced feedback. In free recall trials, subjects responded orally, in writing, or in both oral and written modes. Accuracy of later recall or responses was measured. (CHK)

The presence of questions improved retention for material directly related to the questions but not for incidental information, and their presence had no effect on the amount of retroactive inhibition. (Author)

Previous research has shown that concrete concepts are more readily attained than abstract concepts. In the present study this dominance effect was confirmed for verbal materials, even when instances and concepts were equivalent in instance frequency, meaningfulness and conjoint frequency. This effect was especially marked under high memory-load…