Isolation of Information in Learning

Abstract

The effects of isolation of information in a word list was studied using 24 learning disabled children. Subjects learned a list of either high or low meaningful three letter words (e.g., BUS, XIB). Four types of isolation were studied: (a) no isolation, (b) meaningfulness isolation, (c) color isolation, and (d) a combination of color and meaningfulness isolation. Analysis indicated that the influence of type of isolation was dependent on the level of meaningfulness of the list learned. In highly meaningful lists color isolation produced the greater effect. In lists low in meaningfulness the isolation of a highly meaningful item was most effective. Learning disabled children who learned highly meaningful lists made more correct responses and fewer total errors than subjects who learned lists low in meaningfulness.