Approximate arithmetic training does not improve symbolic math in third and fourth grade children.

Abstract

Prior studies reported that practice playing an approximate arithmetic game improved symbolic math performance relative to active control groups in adults and preschool children (e.g. Park & Brannon, 2013, 2014; Park etal., 2016; Szkudlarek & Brannon, 2018). However, Szkudlarek, Park and Brannon (2021) recently failed to replicate those findings in adults. Here we test whether approximate arithmetic training yields benefits in elementary school children who have intermediate knowledge of arithmetic. We conducted a randomized controlled trial with a pre and post-test design to compare the effects of approximate arithmetic training and visuo-spatial working memory training on standardized math performance in third and fourth grade children. We found that approximate arithmetic training did not yield any significant gains on standardized measures of symbolic math performance. A Bayesian analysis supports the conclusion that approximate arithmetic provides no benefits for symbolic math performance.