Children's reading development and the effects of memory type and phonological processing

This study was designed to explore the relationship between phonological processing, item and order memory, and reading achievement in second grade and adult readers. The literature consistently shows a deficit in phonological processing with poor readers. The results are mixed concerning memory for item and order information. A study by Katz, Healy, and Shankweiler (1983) attempted to show a relationship between phonological processing and memory for order information. The results indicated independent deficits for poor readers in both areas but failed to demonstrate a relationship.In this study subjects were required to look at a stimulus set of five letters for three seconds and remember them over a fifteen second delay. Following the delay the subject attempted to choose the initial array from the two presented to him. Reaction times and error rates were the dependent variables. Reading ability and age were independent variables.The results of this study do support a relationship between phonological processing and memory for order information through a three way interaction involving reading achievement, phonological processing, and memory type. Good reader's ability to phonologically process information is linked to their ability to remember order information. However causality was not determined.Thesis (M.A.