Comparison of Working Memory Function between Bilingual and Monolingual Students with Special Learning Disabilities

The present study is done to compare working memory in monolingual and bilingual children with special learning disability. Design of research was causal-comparative. Statistical society of the research was elementary students in Tehran and Javanroud in the 1392-1393 years. A number of 60 children including 30 (15 gilrs and 15 boys) monolingual (Persian) and 30 (15 gilrs and 15 boys) bilinguals (Kurdish-Persian) were recruited from special learning disability rehabilitation centers by accessible sampling. Data were collected with Wechsler intellectual scale for children-revised (shahim,1390) and Wechsler’s subscale of working memory test (WWM). To analysis of data, descriptive and inferential statistic methods including average, standard deviation, independent t-test and Friedman test were done and analyzed by Spss 16. Results show that there is significant differences in spatial working memory (p < 0.05, t=-2.17) and working memory (p < 0.05, t=-2.14) between monolinguals and bilinguals. There was no significant difference in the letter-number sequence (p>0.05, t=-1.09). Based on the findings of the present study, it can conclude that bilingualism is associated with better working memory functions in bilingual children with SLD.