title: Taxonomic clustering and frequency associations as features of semantic memory development in children with learning disabilities.
abstract: This study investigated taxonomic clustering and use of frequency associations as features in the semantic memory development of children with learning disabilities (LD). Free-recall organization of second- and sixth-grade children with and without LD was analyzed for two types of primary and secondary word lists: (a) items associated with frequency (FA), and (b) items related by category members (CM). In contrast to expected findings, younger, non-disabled children organized words categorically as proficiently as their older nondisabled peers, and the categorization abilities of children with LD were comparable to those of nondisabled subjects, with one exception: Subjects with LD showed less clustering for secondary FA. These results indicate that when individual child-generated word lists (i.e., meaningful and familiar words) are used, children with LD may not be impaired in their ability to recognize and utilize semantic structure to facilitate learning.
authors.affiliation: Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation, University of Arizona.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Obrzut
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004519:Education, Special; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D007858:Learning; D007859:Learning Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory; D012660:Semantics; D013334:Students