Laura Ordonez Magro

Cognitive scientist

Learning & Memory

ABOUT ME

In 2015, I graduated from Université de Liège (ULiège) with a master in Speech and Language Therapy. I obtained my PhD in Psychology at the Université catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain) in June 2019, under the supervision of Prof. Arnaud Szmalec and Prof. Steve Majerus (ULiège). In September 2019, I started as postdoctoral researcher at Aix-Marseille Université where I worked together with Dr. Jonathan Grainger, Dr. Arnaud Rey, and Dr. Joël Fagot. Since 2022, I am back at the UCLouvain as a postdoctoral researcher where I am working with Prof. Arnaud Szmalec and Prof. Steve Majerus.

about me

MY RESEARCH

My research interests are focusing on the links between serial order memory and language acquisition / learning disabilities. More precisely, I am interested in how the ability to memorize sequence material influences novel word learning and orthographic processing (dis)abilities.

During my PhD, I examined the implication of serial order memory in oral and written word learning in primary school children.

During my stay as a postdoctoral researcher at Aix-Marseille Université, I investigated whether sequence learning is possible in the absence of language (i.e., when language-related recoding and refreshing mechanisms are absent) by testing Guinea baboons (papio papio) on sequence learning tasks. The aim was to gain a better understanding of the nature of regularity extraction. Moreover, a second goal of my postdoctoral research was to examine how the human brain (en)codes letter/word order while reading. Currently, I am working on the cognitive risk factors underlying the comorbidity between dyslexia and dyscalculia, by focusing on serial order short- and long-term memory deficits as potential shared risk factors.

my research

PUBLICATIONS

2018 - Present

Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2018). Short-and long- term memory determinants of novel word form learning. Cognitive Development, 47, 146–157.
Attout, L., Ordonez Magro, L., Szmalec, A., & Majerus, S. (2019). The developmental neural substrates of item and serial order components of verbal working memory. Human Brain Mapping, 40(5), 1541-1553.
Ordonez Magro, L., Majerus, S., Attout, L., Poncelet, M., Smalle, E., & Szmalec, A. (2020). The contribution of serial order short-term memory and long-term learning to reading acquisition: A longitudinal study. Developmental Psychology, 56(9), 1671.
Attout, L., Ordonez Magro, L., Szmalec, A., & Majerus, S. (2020). The developmental neural substrates of Hebb repetition learning and their link with reading ability. Human Brain Mapping, 1-14.
Ordonez Magro, L., Majerus, S., Attout, L., Poncelet, M., Smalle, E., & Szmalec, A. (2020). Do serial order short-term memory and long-term learning abilities predict spelling skills in school-age children? Cognition, 206, 104479.
Ordonez Magro, L., Mirault, J., Majerus, S., & Grainger, J. (2022). Sequential versus simultaneous presentation of memoranda in verbal working memory: (How) does it matter? Memory & Cognition.
Ordonez Magro, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2022). On the role of interference in sequence learning in Guinea baboons (Papio papio). Learning & Behavior
Pinto Arata, L., Ordonez Magro, L., Grainger, J., Ramisch, C., & Rey, A. (2024).
The Dynamics of Multiword Sequence Acquisition. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology.
Ordonez Magro, L., Pinto Arata, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (submitted). The lifetime of sequential memory traces in the absence of language.
Parmentier, C., Simonis, M., Van Mensel, L., Hiligsmann, P., Galand, B., Lefèvre, N., Ordonez Magro, L., &, Szmalec, A. (submitted). Language proficiency and study achievement of dyslexic children enrolled in immersion education in French-speaking Belgium. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism.
Ordonez Magro, L., Grainger, J., & Majerus, S. (submitted). The benefit of simultaneous versus sequential presentation of memoranda in working memory: It depends on the stimuli.
Szmalec, A., Simonis, M., Hauspie, C., Ordonez Magro, L., Hiligsmann, P., Van Mensel, L., & Galand, B. (submitted). Content and Language Integrated Learning (CLIL): Dual Objective, Dual Gain?

publications

COMMUNICATIONS

2016 - Present

Ordonez Magro, L., Schweppe, J., & Majerus, S. (2016). Short-term and working memory determinants of sentence comprehension. Poster presented at the 8th European Working Memory Symposium, August 31st-September 2nd, Liege, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2016). Short- and long-term memory determinants of vocabulary development. Poster presented at the Groupe de Contact FNRS Psycholinguistique & Neurolinguistique meeting, October 15th, Bruxelles, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2017). Short- and long-term memory determinants of novel word-form learning. Poster presented at the Learning and Plasticity meeting, April 2nd-5th, Akaslompolo, Finland.
Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2017). Short- and long-term memory determinants of novel word-form learning. Poster presented at the Workshop on Infant Language Development BCBL, July 15th-17th, Bilbao, Spain.
Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2017). Short- and long-term memory determinants of vocabulary development. Poster presented at the 20th Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology, September 3rd-6th, Potsdam, Germany.
Ordonez Magro, L., Poncelet, M., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2017). Les déterminants mnésiques a court- et à long terme de l’acquisition de la lecture. Oral présentation at the Groupe de Contact FNRS Psycholinguistique & Neurolinguistique meeting, December 12th, Liège, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L., Poncelet, M., Attout, L., Majerus, S., Smalle, E., & Szmalec, A. (2018). Les determinants mnesiques à court et à long-terme de l’acquisition de la lecture : une étude longitudinale. Oral presentation at the Groupe de Contact FNRS Psycholinguistique & Neurolinguistique meeting, November 29th, Mons, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L., Attout, L., Majerus, S., & Szmalec, A. (2019). Les déterminants mnésiques a court-et a long terme d’ordre sériel de l’apprentissage du langage. Poster presented at the 8th Edition of the Ecole Internationale d'Ete en logopedie-orthophonie, July 1st-5th, Liege, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L. (2019). La nature du lien entre la mémoire et le langage. Oral presentation at the Entretiens Cliniques d’Orthophonie. Langage et mémoires, September 27th-28th, Paris, France.
Ordonez Magro, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2020). Spacing of repetitions and the formation of stable sequential memory traces. Poster presentation at the 61st Annual Psychonomics meeting, November 9th-22nd, virtual meeting.
Ordonez Magro, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2022). Spacing of repetitions in statistical learning. 9th Implicit Learning Seminar, May 7th-9th, Graz, Austria.
Ordonez Magro, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2022). Spacing of repetitions in implicit statistical learning. Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning, June 1st-3rd, San Sebastian, Spain.
Pinto Arata, L., Ordonez Magro, L., Ramisch, C., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2022). The implicit encoding of multiword sequences. 9th Implicit Learning Seminar, May 7th-9th, Graz, Austria.
Pinto Arata, L., Ordonez Magro, L., Ramisch, C., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2022). The dynamics of multiword sequence extraction. Conference on Interdisciplinary Advances in Statistical Learning, June 1st-3rd, San Sebastian, Spain.
Ordonez Magro, L., Mirault, J., Majerus, S., & Grainger, J. (2022). Sequential versus simultaneous presentation of memoranda in verbal working memory: (How) does it matter? Oral presentation at the Groupe de Contact FNRS Psycholinguistique & Neurolinguistique meeting, November 25th, Mons, Belgium.
Ordonez Magro, L., Fagot, J., Grainger, J., & Rey, A. (2023). Sequence learning in baboons. Poster presented at the Learning and Plasticity meeting, April 2nd-5th, Akaslompolo, Finland.
Ordonez Magro, L., Mirault, J., Majerus, S., & Grainger, J. (2023). Sequential versus simultaneous presentation of memoranda in verbal working memory: (How) does it matter? Poster presentation at the 23rd Conference of the European Society for Cognitive Psychology (ESCOP), September 6th-9th, Porto, Portugal.

communications

COLLABORATORS

Arnaud Szmalec - Université catholique de Louvain

Steve Majerus - Université de Liège

Lucie Attout - Université de Liège

Martine Poncelet - Université de Liège

Eleonore Smalle - Ghent University

Jonathan Grainger - Aix-Marseille Université

Arnaud Rey - Aix-Marseille Université

Joël Fagot - Aix-Marseille Université

Jonathan Mirault - Aix-Marseille Université

Leonardo Pinto Arata - Aix-Marseille Université

Chloé Parmentier - Université catholique de Louvain

Louisa Bogaerts - Ghent University

Cathy Hauspie - Ghent University

Liesa Ravijts - Ghent University

collaborators