digit span test vs serial digit learning test

Digit span test vs serial digit learning test how to#

Given that reading comprehension takes a relatively rapid pace in order to keep track of words and related thoughts and concepts throughout the sentence it is important to know if there are any working memory problems.

Digit span test vs serial digit learning test how to#

And better yet, it can help us better understand how to overcome various struggles. And though, not a specific reading skill, understanding more about digit span and what it tells us can help us better understand some reading struggles. Simply put, how many digits presented in a row can one remember? This list can be forwards and backwards, and visually or verbally. We must remember information over time to understand the sentence, the paragraph, and the story.Īn excellent way to know how effectively a child is taking in, processing and retrieving information for use within working memory is to administer a digit span test. If working memory is not functioning properly how would you be able to remember information from beginning of the sentence to the end of the sentence and make sense of it all. As we read, we must remember words from earlier in the sentence to make sense of words later in the sentence. Working memory is also important for reading. Perhaps a more contemporary example is remembering a web address so you can type it into your browser window. Ok, I know our phones take care of remembering phone numbers for us nowadays, but such abilities are still important. An excellent, albeit dated, example is repeating a telephone number to yourself from the phonebook to the phone so that you can remember what numbers to dial. Sometimes working memory is also called short-term memory since it refers to being able to remember bits of information for a short amount of time. The digit span test allows us to better understand the effectiveness of working memory. Working memory is a cognitive system that allows one to store and retrieve information temporarily as you work with it. You are here: ARTICLES for Teachers & Parents - FAQ - Understanding Digit Span