ELABORATIVE INTERROGATION AND CHILDREN LEARNING OF UNFAMILIAR FACTS

In two experiments, Canadian children in grades 6 and 7 processed fact s about Canada and the U.S. under instructions to: (a) explain why the facts were true (elaborative interrogation); (b) read the facts with elaborations provided (provided elaborations); or (c) read the facts t o remember (reading control). In Experiment 1, recall of Canadian fact s was higher in the elaborative-interrogation condition than in the el aboration-provided condition. In Experiment 2 (Canadian and US facts), there were no significant differences in recall. Although only one co mparison reached statistical significance, recall was descriptively gr eatest in the elaborative-interrogation condition in both experiments with both Canadian and US facts. Across both experiments the average e ffect size of elaborative interrogation was .40 SD compared to the rea ding-control and.56 SD compared to the elaboration-provided condition. The quality of children's explanation in the elaborative-interrogatio n condition was related to probability of recall. Inclusion of prior k nowledge in the children's explanations was a better predictor of reca ll than was the adequacy of explanations.