Het effect van werkgeheugentraining op de mate van getalbegrip bij vijfjarige kinderen

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of working memory training on children with the mean age of five years in relation to number sense. Moreover the effects of working memory training between the two genders were examined in relation to number sense. A sample of 126 children was randomly matched assigned to the experimental conditions and the control condition. The sample consisted of 69 boys and 57 girls. The experimental conditions either received a visual-spatial working memory training (n=42) or a verbal working memory training (n=42). The non-experimental condition (n=42) received a substitute program. Three instruments were used to measure number sense, the Number-to-Position (NP) 1-10, the NP 1-100 and the Utrechtse Getalbegrip Toets-Revised (UGT-R). The results revealed a significant average effect of verbal working memory training in comparison with the non-experimental condition on the UGT-R. No significant improvements were found on the NP 1-10 and the NP 1-100. There were also no significant effects of gender on all tasks. It is suggested that number line and gender differences are still developing in children with a mean age of five years. Together these findings suggest that number sense of children with the mean age of five years can be trained by using working memory tasks.