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ERIC Number: EJ1023466
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014-May
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1363-755X
EISSN: N/A
Arithmetic Facts Storage Deficit: The Hypersensitivity-to-Interference in Memory Hypothesis
De Visscher, Alice; Noël, Marie-Pascale
Developmental Science, v17 n3 p434-442 May 2014
Dyscalculia, or mathematics learning disorders, is currently known to be heterogeneous (Wilson & Dehaene, 2007). While various profiles of dyscalculia coexist, a general and persistent hallmark of this math learning disability is the difficulty in memorizing arithmetic facts (Geary, Hoard & Hamson, 1999; Jordan & Montani, 1997; Slade & Russel, 1971). Arithmetic facts are simple arithmetic problems that are solved by direct retrieval from memory. Recently, De Visscher and Noël (2013) showed hypersensitivity-to-interference in memory in an adult suffering from a specific deficit of arithmetic facts storage. According to the authors, arithmetic facts share many features. The overlapping of these features between arithmetic facts may provoke interference. Consequently, learners who are hypersensitive-to-interference could have considerable difficulties in storing arithmetic facts. The present study aims at testing this new hypothesis on fourth-grade children who are learning multiplication tables. Among 101 children that were assessed, 23 low arithmetic facts learners were selected because of their low score in arithmetic facts fluency (controlling for processing speed). Twenty-three control children were selected, matched for classroom, gender, and age. In addition to a subtest of global reasoning, these participants were given a multiplication production task and a memorization task of low- and high-interference associations. The results show that children with low arithmetic fluencies experience hypersensitivity-to-interference in memory compared with children with typical arithmetic fluencies.
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Publication Type: Reports - Research; Journal Articles
Education Level: Grade 4; Elementary Education; Intermediate Grades
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A