Abstract
A large number of studies have pointed out the role of working memory throughout numerical development. Working memory capacities seem to be improved after training and some studies have observed an impact of working memory training on academic performance. In our study, we examined whether training visuo-spatial working memory (with Cogmed) enhances working memory abilities and numerical development in the short and middle term in 5-6 year-old children. Fourty six children were randomly assigned to the experimental condition (adaptive working memory training) or the control condition (non-adaptive, demo version). The program was implemented daily for a period of five weeks in both groups. We observed an immediate impact of the adaptive version on visuo-spatial sketchpad and visuo-spatial central executive abilities and a small impact on Arabic number comparison. No training effect was observed in verbal working memory, in counting, collection comparison and addition. Furthermore, the observed effects were not sustained ten weeks later. These results are discussed in the context of specific and general cognitive factors that support numerical development and we argue against the idea of developing general cognitive factors to efficiently boost numerical development.
Highlights
A large number of studies have pointed out the role of working memory throughout numerical development
working memory (WM) is composed of two slave systems, the phonological loop (PL) and the visuo-spatial sketchpad (VSSP), which are responsible for the temporary storage of verbal (PL) or visuo-spatial (VSSP) information
As the present training study concerned preschoolers, it is reasonable to address the following hypotheses: we first expected an impact of training on tasks tapping the VSSP and the visuo-spatial central executive (CE) as these are the memory components trained in this specific WM training program
Summary
A large number of studies have pointed out the role of working memory throughout numerical development. We examined whether training visuo-spatial working memory (with Cogmed) enhances working memory abilities and numerical development in the short and middle term in 5-6 year-old children. We compared the effects of the intensive adaptive version of the Cogmed WM training program to those of the demo non-adaptive version on WM (PL, VSSP and CE in verbal and in visuo-spatial modality) and on several numerical processes (counting, comparisons, number line and addition). As the present training study concerned preschoolers, it is reasonable to address the following hypotheses: we first expected an impact of training on tasks tapping the VSSP and the visuo-spatial CE as these are the memory components trained in this specific WM training program. If WM is already divided into subcomponents responsible for verbal or visuo-spatial processing, the training program should only impact visuo-spatial tasks
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