Visual Memory Training of Digit Recall in Educable Mentally Retarded Children

Abstract

Spatial grouping and schematic redundancy supplemented by external cueing were employed in an intensive training program incorporating structured digit strings presented visually. The program was administered individually to five experimental educable mentally retarded children (EMR) while unstructured random digit strings were presented to four control EMRs. At the completion of training, all subjects in the experimental group gained at least two digits above their initial baseline measures whereas only one subject in the control group evidenced any gain (one digit) in digit recall (Mann-Whitney U = 0; p = .008). Results were interpreted to support Spitz's input organization schema, dispute the developmental prerequisite hypothesis related to digit recall capacity, and suggest implications for special education practices.

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