Working Memory and Learning in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder and Specific Language Impairment

Citation

Alloway TP & Archibald LMD (2008) Working Memory and Learning in Children With Developmental Coordination Disorder and Specific Language Impairment. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 41 (3), pp. 251-262. https://doi.org/10.1177/0022219408315815

Abstract
The authors compared 6- to 11-year-olds with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and those with specific language impairment (SLI) on measures of memory (verbal and visuospatial short-term and working memory) and learning (reading and mathematics). Children with DCD with typical language skills were impaired in all four areas of memory function for their age level, and this pattern was also found to be characteristic of a larger DCD group with varied language abilities. SLI-group deficits in standard scores were observed for the verbal versions of the short-term and working memory tasks only. There were also differential links between memory and attainment between the two groups, with visuospatial working memory strongly related to numeracy in the SLI group and all of the memory measures correlated with at least one attainment measure in the DCD group. Reasons for why working memory contributes to learning in these two developmental groups are discussed.

Keywords
working memory; learning; developmental coordination disorder; specific language impairment; Memory in children; Short-term memory; Specific language impairment in children; Motor ability in children

Journal
Journal of Learning Disabilities: Volume 41, Issue 3