Working memory and comprehension in children with specific language impairment: what we know so far
Abstract
Many children with specific language impairments (SLI) demonstrate deficits in the areas of verbal working memory and language learning/processing. In this article, evidence is reviewed suggesting that the lexical/morphological learning and sentence comprehension/processing problems of many of these children are associated with their deficient working memory functioning. Evidence is also reviewed for the possibility that deficient working memory provides a clinical marker of SLI. A number of potentially useful assessment and intervention techniques are offered, as well as several directions for future research. The reader will be introduced to two prominent models of verbal working memory (phonological working memory model, functional working memory) and how each model potentially relates to (a) various language abilities in typically developing children, (b) the morphological and lexical learning abilities in children with specific language impairment (SLI), and (c) the sentence comprehension of children with SLI. The reader will also be provided a variety of clinical suggestions on how to assess and treat the working memory and language processing problems of children with SLI. Finally, some suggestions for future research will also be offered.
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The core problem in language disorders is deficient verbal working memory.
“the core problem in language disorders is deficient verbal WM”
From Relationships between neuropsychological measures of executive function and behavioral measures of ADHD symptoms and comorbid behavior (2006) · cites this paper as Montgomery, 2003
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Nonword repetition and child language impairment
Dollaghan, C., & Campbell, T. F. (1998) · Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research · doi:10.1044/jslhr.4105.1136 · Cited by 1,006 · cited 10× · see citing works
“Dollaghan and Campbell (1998) and Gathercole and Baddeley (1990a) provide examples of such a task.”
BackgroundInfluentialReducing Bias in Language Assessment: Processing-Dependent Measures
Campbell, T., Dollaghan, C., Needleman, H., & Janosky, J. (1997) · Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research · doi:10.1044/jslhr.4003.519 · Cited by 310 · see citing works
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Davidson, L. S., Geers, A. E., & Nicholas, J. G. (2014) · Cochlear Implants International · doi:10.1179/1754762813y.0000000051 · Cited by 79 · see citing works
JONSDOTTIR, S., BOUMA, A., SERGEANT, J., & SCHERDER, E. (2006) · Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology · doi:10.1016/j.acn.2006.05.003 · Cited by 78 · see citing works
Gremillion, M. L., & Martel, M. M. (2012) · Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology · doi:10.1007/s10802-012-9650-7 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
Shahmahmood, T. M., Jalaie, S., Soleymani, Z., Haresabadi, F., & Nemati, P. (2016) · Journal of Research in Medical Sciences · doi:10.4103/1735-1995.189648 · Cited by 28 · see citing works
Lammert, J. M., Roberts, A. C., McRae, K., Batterink, L. J., & Butler, B. E. (2025) · Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research · doi:10.1044/2024_jslhr-24-00515 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
Developmental language disorder as syntactic prediction impairment
Hestvik, A., Epstein, B., Schwartz, R. G., & Shafer, V. L. (2022) · Frontiers in Communication · doi:10.3389/fcomm.2021.637585 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
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- Authors
- Montgomery, J. W.
- Affiliations
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (US)
- Corresponding author
- Montgomery, James W.
- ORCID
- Montgomery, James W.
- Venue
- Journal of Communication Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2003-05
- Volume
- 36
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 221-231
- ISSN
- 0021-9924 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2136066737
- Cited by
- 262
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 9 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 9 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 15 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 12
- FWCI
- 2.09
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Communication Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Language Development and Disorders
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Reading and Literacy Development
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Keywords
- specific language impairment, verbal working memory, sentence comprehension, vocabulary acquisition, morphological learning, language processing deficits, clinical biomarkers, assessment and intervention
- MeSH terms
- Child, Humans, Language, Language Disorders, Learning, Memory, Memory Disorders, Speech Perception, Speech Therapy, Comprehension
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