Working memory, short-term memory, and speech rate as predictors of children's reading performance at different ages.

Swanson, H. Lee, Howell, Margaret·2001·Journal of Educational Psychology

Abstract

This study explored the contribution of 2 working memory (WM) systems (the phonological loop and the central executive) to reading performance in younger (9-year-old) and older (14-year-old) children. The results showed that (a) significant age-related differences in verbal and visual-spatial WM performance were maintained when articulation speed and short-term memory (the phonological system) were partialed from the analysis and (b) WM predicted age-related differences in word recognition and comprehension performance independent of the contribution of a short-term memory and articulatory rate. The results were interpreted as support for the notion that both the phonological and the executive systems are important predictors of age-related changes in reading but that these processes operate independent of each other in predicting fluent reading. Several implications of the results are discussed.

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Cited by (16)

  1. The Generality of Working Memory Capacity: A Latent-Variable Approach to Verbal and Visuospatial Memory Span and Reasoning.
    Kane, Michael J., Hambrick, David Z., Tuholski, Stephen W., Wilhelm, Oliver, Payne, Tabitha W., Engle, Randall W. · 2004 · Journal of Experimental Psychology: General
  2. A meta-analysis of working memory impairments in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder
    MARTINUSSEN, RHONDA, HAYDEN, JILL, HOGG-JOHNSON, SHEILAH, TANNOCK, ROSEMARY · 2005 · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
  3. Working memory in children with reading disabilities
    Gathercole, Susan Elizabeth, Alloway, Tracy Packiam, Willis, Catherine, Adams, Anne-Marie · 2006 · Journal of Experimental Child Psychology
  4. A meta-analysis on the relation between reading and working memory
    Peng, Peng, Barnes, Marcia, Wang, CuiCui, Wang, Wei, Li, Shan, Swanson, H. Lee, Dardick, William, Tao, Sha · 2018 · Psychological Bulletin
  5. Exploring the impact of phonological awareness, visual-spatial working memory, and preschool quantity-number competencies on mathematics achievement in elementary school: Findings from a 3-year longitudinal study
    Krajewski, Kristin, Schneider, Wolfgang · 2009 · Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

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Cite CoChat for the checks on this page, and the paper for its own findings.

This page
CoChat. (2026). Citation check: Working memory, short-term memory, and speech rate as predictors of children's reading performance at different ages. https://app.cochat.ai/papers/10.1037//0022-0663.93.4.720
The paper
Swanson, H. L., & Howell, M. (2001). Working memory, short-term memory, and speech rate as predictors of children's reading performance at different ages. Journal of Educational Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1037//0022-0663.93.4.720

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