AO1

• aim: to investigate the development of the phonological loop in children between the ages of 5 and 17 years using digit span as a measure of phonological capacity
• volunteer sample of 570 participants taken from schools in Madrid
• all participants were native Spanish speakers
• impairments in hearing, reading and writing ability were controlled
• divided into five different age groups
• participants were asked to read increasing sequences of digits to recall in the correct order
• the digits were read out at a rate of one per second
• preschool (5 years) - average digit span was 3.76
• primary school (6-8 years) - average digit span 4.34
• primary school (9-11 years) - average digit span 5.13
• secondary school (12-14 years) - average digit span was 5.46
• secondary school (15-17 years) - average digit span 5.83
• the results clearly show a developmental trend of increasing digit span with age
• rises steadily until 11 where it slows but remains stable
• starting point of this development occurs when children are able to sub-vocalise at around 7 years old