Katie Allen: Longitudinal working memory predictors of mathematics across primary school скачать в хорошем качестве

Katie Allen: Longitudinal working memory predictors of mathematics across primary school

Dr Katie Allen University of Durham Abstract: Interest in, and evidence for, the involvement of working memory in mathematics is increasing as the performance of school leavers is under constant scrutiny. Understanding how components of working memory relate to aspects of mathematics is, however, limited. The stability of this relationship when other cognitive predictors are included is not known, nor is whether the relationship is stable over time. Longitudinal visuospatial and verbal working memory predictors of mathematics were assessed in Year 3 children (time 1) and related to mathematics performance two years later in Year 5 (time 2). Results revealed a shift in the predictive power of visuospatial measures from spatial-simultaneous at time 1 to spatial-sequential at time 2. Verbal working memory remained significantly predictive at both time points. Similarly, in a further study, relationships across Years 2 to 5 were identified, indicating a shift toward visuospatial predictors in older children. This method of identifying children at risk of poor mathematics performance appears feasible, as long as a broad cognitive profile is considered. I will discuss the main findings of the project, along with their implications and our future aims.