Lane C Williams1, F Sayako Earle1. 1. Communication Sciences and Disorders, University of Delaware, 100 Discovery Boulevard, Newark, DE, 19713.
Abstract
PURPOSE: Phonological representations are important for reading. In the current work, we examine the relationship between speech-perceptual memory encoding and consolidation to reading ability in skilled adult readers. METHOD: Seventy-three young adults (age 18-24) were first tested in their word and nonword reading ability, and then trained in the late evening to identify an unfamiliar speech sound contrast (Hindi retroflex-dental). Participants were assessed in their ability to perceive the target contrast immediately before training, after training, and 12 hours later. RESULTS: While perceptual performance on the target at any time point was unassociated with reading ability, overnight changes to the post-training perceptual ability over the 12-hour delay was significantly associated with nonword reading (i.e. decoding) ability, but not real-word reading. CONCLUSION: These results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that individual differences in memory processes that update phonological representations following acoustic-phonetic exposure relate to decoding performance, including in adulthood.
PURPOSE: Phonological representations are important for reading. In the current work, we examine the relationship between speech-perceptual memory encoding and consolidation to reading ability in skilled adult readers. METHOD: Seventy-three young adults (age 18-24) were first tested in their word and nonword reading ability, and then trained in the late evening to identify an unfamiliar speech sound contrast (Hindi retroflex-dental). Participants were assessed in their ability to perceive the target contrast immediately before training, after training, and 12 hours later. RESULTS: While perceptual performance on the target at any time point was unassociated with reading ability, overnight changes to the post-training perceptual ability over the 12-hour delay was significantly associated with nonword reading (i.e. decoding) ability, but not real-word reading. CONCLUSION: These results provide preliminary support for the hypothesis that individual differences in memory processes that update phonological representations following acoustic-phonetic exposure relate to decoding performance, including in adulthood.
Authors: Nirav P Patel; Michael A Grandner; Dawei Xie; Charles C Branas; Nalaka Gooneratne Journal: BMC Public Health Date: 2010-08-11 Impact factor: 3.295