Het effect van werkgeheugentraining, zowel visueel-spatieel als verbaal, op getalbegrip bij kinderen van ongeveer vijf jaar

Abstract

Background: Number sense and working memory are predictors for math skills in developing children. Working memory also plays an important role in school achievement in general. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine whether domain-specific memory training has an effect on number sense in young children about five years old. Sample and method: A total of 127 preschoolers from the first and second grade of primary school in the Netherlands were involved. Children were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental conditions, the verbal condition, the visual-spatial condition and the control condition. The children of each condition were exposed to twelve training sessions. Results: A significant effect was found for the verbal condition on the results of the UGT-R. There was a lack of significant effects of the visual-spatial condition on the results of the UGT-R and of both conditions on the results of the tasks involving the mental number line. Conclusion: There is evidence to assume that verbal memory training does positively affect number sense. Visual-spatial working memory training seems to have no effect on number sense in young children. Implications: Included in the school curriculum, working memory training might positively attribute to the working memory and math skills of preschoolers. More research is needed to assess the impact of working memory training on number sense. Future directions can play an important role in the contribution of acquiring knowledge about the improvement of cognitive skills through working memory training.