Verbal-Coding Deficits in the Recall of Pictorial Information by Learning Disabled Readers: The Influence of a Lexical System

Abstract

Based on a three-stage model of memory coding, comparisons were made between reading ability groups on their serial recall of pictorial information. In Experiment 1, learning disabled and skilled readers viewed pictures of low and high verbal codable shapes without names or with names either “matched” or “mismatched” with respect to the shape’s form. Regardless of the shape codability, both types of name-training conditions improved skilled readers’ recall, whereas disabled readers exhibited better recall for unnamed shapes. Experiment 2 compared the two ability groups on recall of shapes when name-training conditions involved labels low in meaningfulness. No ability group differences emerged. Taken together, the two experiments suggest that skilled readers’ interdependent coding operations are related to the activation of a semantic system from long-term memory. In contrast, disabled readers’ multiple coding operations represent difficulties in coordinating verbal information between two independent memory storages (i.e., short-term and long-term) as well as a bias for processing information through a visual route. In Experiment 3, learning disabled readers were divided into high (LD-HV) and low (LD-LV) vocabulary (lexical) subgroups. No significant difference in recall was found between skilled and LD-HV readers on the name-training condition. Both ability groups were superior in recall to the LD-L V readers. In contrast, the LD-L V readers were superior on the unnamed conditions when compared to the other ability groups. The results suggest that interdependent coding operations in disabled readers occur when their semantic memory system has access to highly developed lexical codes.