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This study investigated the role of generative strategies and working memory capacity on word problem solving accuracy in children with math difficulties (MD). Within classrooms, children in Grade 3 with MD (n = 69) were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions: paraphrase question propositions (Restate), paraphrase relevant propositions (Relevant), and paraphrase all propositions (Complete), or to an untreated control. An additional control group included children without MD (n = 22). Mixed regression modeling showed that generative strategies significantly improved posttest scores for children with MD compared with the control condition, but outcomes were related to the type of dependent measures. The Relevant and Complete treatment conditions improved problem-solving accuracy, the Complete condition improved problem component identification, and the Restate and Relevant conditions improved operation span performance when compared with the control conditions. Only the Relevant and Complete generative learning treatments allowed children with MD to catch up to children without MD, but the results were moderated by working memory capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Young (3-4 years old) and old (7-8 years old) subjects participated in a three-phase study investigating the development of scripts and the ability to use scripts as an information-retrieval guide. In the script generation phase, young children did not verbalize as much script information as older subjects. In a typicality rating phase, all generated information was rated for typicality by both groups, No difference in overall typicality ratings between age groups was found, suggesting both groups had similar script content, regardless of differences in script generation abilities. A recognition test phase tested children's recognition memory for passages containing typical and atypical items. Memory discrimination varied significantly with age and typicality, and a significant age x typicality interaction was found. The script pointer plus tag hypothesis was employed to suggest that although younger children have similar scripts, their script "boundaries" may bel less well defined. It was concluded that further research investigating the use of scripts in memory may be more relevant to script development theory than the investigation of script content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]