Twenty-five adolescents with learning disabilities were randomly assigned to either a keyword mnemonic condition or an experimenter-directed rehearsal condition and were individually taught 16 difficult vocabulary words, including 8 concrete and 8 abstract words. After an instructional period, students were given a test of literal recall as well as a comprehension test of their ability to apply newly acquired vocabulary words in a different context. Results indicated that mnemonically trained students outperformed control students on both abstract and concrete words, and on recall tests as well as on comprehension tests. Implications for vocabulary instruction as well as theories of learning disabilities are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Ammons, R. B., & Ammons, C. H. (1962). The Quick Test (QT): Provisional manual. Psychological Reports,11, 111–161.
2.
Atkinson, R. C. (1975). Mnemotechnnics in second language learning. American Psychologist,30, 821–828.
3.
Baker, J., Ceci, S. J., & Herrmann, D. (1987). Semantic structure and processing: Implications for the learning disabled child. In H.L. Swanson (Ed.), Memory and learning disabilities: Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (pp. 83–109). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
4.
Borkowski, J. G., & Buchel, F. P. (1983). Learning and memory strategies in the mentally retarded. In M. Pressley & J.R. Levin (Eds.), Cognitive strategy research: Psychological foundations (pp. 103–128). New York: Springer-Verlag.
5.
Carnine, D., & Silbert, J. (1979). Direct instruction: Reading.Columbus, OH: Merrill.
6.
Ceci, S., (1985). A developmental study of learning disabilities and memory. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,39, 202–221.
7.
Condus, M., Marshall, K. J., & Miller, S. R. (1986). Effects of the keyword mnemonic strategy on vocabulary acquisition and maintenance by learning disabled children. Journal of Learning Disabilities,19, 609–613.
8.
Graves, M. F. (1986). Vocabulary learning and instruction. In E.Z. Rothkopf (Ed.), Review of research in education (Vol. 13, pp. 49–89). Washington, DC: American Educational Research Association.
9.
Jastak, J. E., & Jastak, S. (1979). Wide range achievement test.Wilmington, DE: Jastak Associates.
10.
Johnson, C., Adams, M., & Bruning, R. (1985). Keywords and vocabulary acquisition: Some words of caution about words of assistance. Educational Communication and Technology Journal,33, 125–138.
11.
Kail, R., & Leonard, L. B. (1986). Sources of wordfinding problems in language-impaired children. In S.J. Ceci (Ed.), Handbook of cognitive, social, and neuropsychological aspects of learning disabilities (Vol. 1, pp. 185–202). Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
12.
Kirk, S. A., & Kirk, W. (1971). Psycholinguistic learning disabilities: Diagnosis and remediation.Urbana: University of Illinois Press.
13.
Mastropieri, M. A. (1988). Using the keyword method. Teaching Exceptional Children,20(2), 4–8.
14.
Mastropieri, M., Emerick, K., & Scruggs, T. E. (1988). Mnemonic instruction of science concepts.Behavioral Disorders,14, 48, 56.
15.
Mastropieri, M. A., & Scruggs, T. E. (1988). Increasing LD students' content area learning: Research implementation. Learning Disabilities Research,4, 17–25.
16.
Mastropieri, M., Scruggs, T. E., & Levin, J. R. (1985). Maximizing what exceptional students can learn: A review of research on the keyword method and related mnemonic techniques. Remedial and Special Education,6(2), 39–45.
17.
Mastropieri, M., Scruggs, T. E., & Levin, J. R. (1987). Mnemonic strategies in special education. In M. McDaniel & M. Pressley (Eds.), Imagery and related mnemonic processes: Theories, individual differences, and applications (pp. 358–376). New York: Springer-Verlag.
18.
Mastropieri, M., Scruggs, T. E., Levin, J. R., Gaffney, J., & McLoone, B. B. (1985). Mnemonic vocabulary instruction for learning disabled students. Learning Disability Quarterly,8, 57–63.
19.
McLoone, B., Scruggs, T. E., Mastropieri, M. A., & Zucker, S. (1986). Memory strategy instruction and training with LD adolescents. Learning Disabilities Research,2, 45–53.
20.
Pressley, M., Johnson, C.J., & Symons, S. (1987). Elaborating to learn and learning to elaborate. Journal of Learning Disabilities,20, 76–91.
21.
Pressley, M., & Levin, J. R. (1985). Keywords and vocabulary acquisition: Some words of caution about Johnson, Adams, and Bruning (1985). Educational Communication and Technology Journal,33, 277–284.
22.
Scruggs, T. E. (1988). The nature of learning disabilities. In K.A. Kavale (Ed.), Learning disabilities: State of the art and practice (pp. 22–43). Boston: Little, Brown.
23.
Scruggs, T. E., & Mastropieri, M. A. (1984). Issues in generalization: Implications for special education. Psychology in the Schools,21, 397–403.
24.
Scruggs, T. E., & Mastropieri, M. A. (in press). Reconstructive elaborations: A model for content-area learning.American Educational Research Journal.
25.
Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. A., Jorgensen, C., & Monson, J. A. (1986). Effective mnemonic strategies for gifted learners. Journal for the Education of the Gifted,9, 105–121.
26.
Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. A., & Levin, J. R. (1985). Vocabulary acquisition by mentally retarded students under direct and mnemonic instruction. American Journal of Mental Deficiency,89, 546–551.
27.
Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. A., & Levin, J. R. (1987). Implications of mnemonic strategy research for theories of learning disabilities. In H.L. Swanson (Ed.), Memory and learning disabilities: Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (pp. 225–244). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
28.
Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. A., Levin, J. R., & Gaffney, J. (1985). Facilitating the acquisition of science facts in learning disabled students. American Educational Research Journal,22, 575–586.
29.
Scruggs, T., Mastropieri, M. A., McLoone, B. B., Levin, J. R., & Morrison, C. (1987). Mnemonic facilitation of LD students' recall of facts from expository prose. Journal of Educational Psychology,79, 27–34.
30.
Swanson, H. L. (1987). Verbal coding deficit in learning disabled readers: Remembering pictures and words. In H.L. Swanson (Ed.), Memory and learning disabilities: Advances in learning and behavioral disabilities (pp. 263–304). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
31.
Taylor, S. C. (1981). The keyword mnemonic method for teaching vocabulary: Its use by learning disabled children with memory difficulties. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Oklahoma State University, Stillwaler.
32.
Torgesen, J., & Kail, R. V. (1980). Memory processes in exceptional children. In B.K. Keogh (Ed.), Advances in special education: Basic constructs and theoretical orientations (Vol. 1, pp. 55–89). Greenwich, CT: JAI.
33.
Veit, D., Scruggs, T. E., & Mastropieri, M. A. (1986). Extended mnemonic instruction with learning disabled students. Journal of Educational Psychology,78, 300–308.
34.
Vellutino, F. R., & Scanlon, D. M. (1982). Verbal processing in poor and normal readers. In C.J. Brainerd & M. Pressley (Eds.), Verbal processes in children: Progress in cognitive development research (pp. 189–254). New York: Springer-Verlag.
35.
Vellutino, F. R., & Scanlon, D. M. (1985). Free recall of concrete and abstract words in poor and normal readers. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,39, 363–380.
36.
Walberg, H. J., & Tsai, S. L. (1983). Matthew effects in education. American Educational Research Journal,20, 359–373.
37.
Wechsler, D., (1974). Manual for the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Revised.New York: Psychological Corp.
38.
Winer, B. J. (1971). Statistical principles in experimental design.New York: McGraw-Hill.
