Lee Swanson H, Kong JE, Petcu SD. Individual differences in math problem solving and executive processing among emerging bilingual children.
J Exp Child Psychol 2019;
187:104653. [PMID:
31377651 DOI:
10.1016/j.jecp.2019.06.006]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
This study identified cognitive processes that underlie individual differences in working memory (WM) and mathematical problem-solving accuracy in emerging bilingual children (English learners). A battery of tests was administered in both English and Spanish that assessed problem solving, achievement, and cognitive processing in children in first grade (n = 155), second grade (n = 129), and third grade (n = 110). The results were that (a) the executive component of WM predicted solution accuracy of word problems independent of first language and second language measures of vocabulary, reading, domain-specific knowledge (e.g., calculation, estimation), and short-term memory and (b) first language (Spanish) measures of the executive component of WM and magnitude comparisons were major predictors of math problem-solving accuracy in both languages. The results support the notion that the executive system of WM is a unique predictor of emerging bilingual children's math problem-solving accuracy in both languages.
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