The Effectiveness of Working Memory Training on Reading Difficulties among Students with Reading Disorder

Purpose: the present study aimed at investigating the effectiveness of working memory training on reading difficulties of students with reading disorder. Method: the method of this study was experimental with a pretest-posttest design and a control group. The statistical population consisted of all elementary school children with reading disorder, who had attended counseling centers of Tehran Education Department in the spring of 2017. Then, these students were randomly assigned to two groups of 15 (one control group and one experimental group) and the intervention program of working memory training was performed on the experimental groups over a period of 10 sessions, with each session lasting for half an hour. Both Simple Random Sampling and Convenience Sampling methods were applied. To measure reading difficulties, WISC- R (3rd edition) and Reading and Dyslexia Test (NEMA) were used. The obtained data were analyzed using the statistical method Covariance Analysis . Findings: the results of Covariance Analysis showed that working memory training intervention is effective on all sub-components of Reading & Dyslexia Test (p <0.01), with its greatest impact being on picture naming, sound elimination and category mark. Conclusion: accordingly, it was concluded that the experimental group s interventions based on working memory training, as a useful intervention method, can be effective on reducing reading difficulties of students with learning disorder, and can be applied as a complementary exercise to reduce reading difficulties among this group of students.

The Effectiveness of Working Memory Training on Reading Difficulties among Students with Reading Disorder Keywords:

working memory , reading difficulties , reading disorder