Can improving working memory prevent academic difficulties?
Author Information
Author(s): Gehan Roberts, Jon Quach, Lisa Gold, Peter Anderson, Field Rickards, Fiona Mensah, John Ainley, Susan Gathercole, Melissa Wake
Primary Institution: Centre for Community Child Health, Royal Children's Hospital, Parkville, Australia
Hypothesis
Can a school-based computerised working memory program have a sustained impact on literacy and numeracy in intervention children, compared with controls who don't receive the program?
Conclusion
The study aims to determine if a working memory training program can improve academic outcomes for children at risk of academic difficulties.
Supporting Evidence
- Working memory is strongly associated with literacy and numeracy skills.
- Children with poor working memory at school entry are unlikely to reach expected levels of attainment in literacy, maths and science.
- Over 90% of 6-11 year-old children with reading difficulties have low working memory skills.
Takeaway
This study is trying to see if helping kids remember things better can make them do better in school.
Methodology
A randomised controlled trial with 440 children identified with low working memory from a screening of 2880 children in Grade 1.
Potential Biases
Control children are not identified to teachers, reducing bias.
Limitations
The trial may not be generalizable to non-English speaking populations.
Participant Demographics
Children in Grade 1 from diverse socio-economic and cultural backgrounds in metropolitan Melbourne.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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