Domain‐General Learning and Memory Substrates of Reading Acquisition. Issue 2 (10th January 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Earle, F. Sayako; Del Tufo, Stephanie N.; Evans, Tanya M.; Lum, Jarrad A. G.; Cutting, Laurie E.; Ullman, Michael T.
• Other Names: De Smedt Bert guestEditor.; Dumontheil Iroise guestEditor.; Peters Sabine guestEditor.; van Atteveldt Nienke guestEditor.
• Is Part Of: Mind, brain and education. Volume 14:Issue 2(2020)
• Page Start: 176
• Page End: 186
• Publication Date: 2020-01-10
• Subjects: Cognitive learning -- Periodicals; Education -- Research -- Periodicals; Developmental psychobiology -- Periodicals; Cognitive neuroscience -- Periodicals; Cognitive science -- Periodicals; Apprentissage cognitif -- Périodiques; Éducation -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Psychobiologie du développement -- Périodiques; Neurosciences cognitives -- Périodiques; Sciences cognitives -- Périodiques; 612.8233
• DOI: 10.1111/mbe.12234
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1751-2271

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Prior research has demonstrated that linguistic skills and knowledge contribute to successful reading acquisition. In contrast, little is known about the influence of domain‐general learning abilities on reading. To investigate associations between general memory functions and reading during the early stages of learning to read, performance measures of word‐level reading and of declarative and procedural learning were obtained in a cohort of 140 children, annually during their first 4 years of school. We hypothesized that differences in learning task performance would relate to reading ability in the early years, when children are first learning to read. We employed a series of linear mixed effects models to test the relationships between learning abilities and reading across time. Declarative learning performance predicted reading ability in first grade, while procedural learning performance predicted reading ability in second grade. Our findings suggest that reading acquisition may depend in part on general capacities for learning.