Working memory and mathematics in primary school children: A meta-analysis

Working memory, including central executive functions (inhibition, shifting and updating) are factors thought to play a central role in mathematical skill development. However, results reported with regard to the associations between mathematics and working memory components are inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis is twofold: to investigate the strength of this relation, and to establish whether the variation in the association is caused by tests, sample characteristics and study and other methodological characteristics. Results indicate that all working memory components are associated with mathematical performance, with the highest correlation between mathematics and verbal updating. Variation in the strength of the associations can consistently be explained by the type of mathematics measure used: general tests yield stronger correlations than more specific tests. Furthermore, characteristics of working memory measures, age and sample explain variance in correlations in some analyses. Interpretations of the contribution of moderator variables to various models are discussed.     

Short-term memory and working memory in children as a function of language-specific knowledge in English and Spanish

This study determined the degree to which the phonological and executive components of memory reflect language-specific capacities in Spanish and English vocabulary. We tested whether the memory processes in a sample of English language learners found in Grade 1 also emerged in Grade 2. For the total sample (N = 90), Grade 1 English STM measures shared a common construct with Spanish STM, whereas Grade 2 STM measures were language dependent. In contrast, WM measures were language independent across grades 1 and 2. When vocabulary subgroups were analyzed, a subgroup × type of memory task emerged. The results showed that performance on Spanish and English STM tasks were a function of high and low Spanish and English vocabulary knowledge, whereas WM was not. The relationship between language-specific processes in memory was discussed.     

Attentional and executive function behaviours in children with poor working memory

The purpose of this study was to explore the profiles of classroom behaviour relating to attention and executive functions in children with very poor working memory, and to test the hypothesis that inattentive behaviour and working memory problems co-occur. Teachers rated problem behaviours of 52 children with low working memory scores aged 5/6 and 9/10 years on teacher rating measures of attention and executive function behaviours. The majority of children with low working memory scores obtained atypically high ratings of cognitive problems/ inattentive symptoms, and were judged to have short attention spans, high levels of distractibility, problems in monitoring the quality of their work, and difficulties in generating new solutions to problems. These results extend previous findings that working memory problems and inattentive behaviour co-occur to a non-clinical sample. It is suggested that reduced working memory capacity may play a causal role in the problem behaviours of these children.     

The role of numerical and non-numerical ordering abilities in mathematics and reading in middle childhood

This study investigated whether different types of ordering skills were related to mathematics achievement in children (n = 100) in middle childhood, after the effects of age, socio-economic status, IQ, and processing speed were taken into account. The relations between ordering skills and magnitude processing were also investigated, as well as the possibility that some of the shared variance between math and reading is explained by ordering abilities. The ordering tasks included the ordering of familiar numerical and non-numerical sequences, a parental report of children’s everyday ordering skills, and an order working memory task. Three magnitude processing tasks (symbolic and non-symbolic comparison and number line estimation), were also administered, as well as measures of inhibition and spatial working memory. From this set of measures, number ordering, order working memory and number line estimation emerged as the most important predictors of mathematics skills. We found that number ordering mediated the effect of both symbolic and non-symbolic comparison skills on mathematics, further confirming that this task captures some essential skills related to mathematics. Additionally, order working memory mediated the effect of both number comparison and reading skills on math. Finally, whereas non-symbolic comparison and number line estimation are considered important indicators of magnitude processing skills, there was no relationship between these abilities, but there was a correlation between each of these abilities and reading skills, with number line estimation also mediating the effect of reading skills on math. These novel findings could contribute to a better understanding of the basic processes underlying math ability, and why math and reading are strongly related in typical populations and in children with learning difficulties.     

Theoretical and methodological implications of associations between executive function and mathematics in early childhood

Despite agreement about the importance of executive function (EF) for children’s early math achievement, its treatment in correlational studies reflects a lack of agreement about the theoretical connection between the two. It remains unclear whether the association between EF and math operates through a latent EF construct or specific EF components. Specifying the correct measurement model has important theoretical implications for the predicted effects of EF interventions on children’s math achievement. In the current study, we tested whether associations between EF and math operate via a latent EF factor, or via specific EF components using data from a large, nationally representative sample. We then replicated these same analyses with a meta-analytic database drawn from ten studies that collected measures of children’s EF and math achievement. Our results lend support to explanations that a single EF factor accounts for most of the EF component-specific associations with math achievement. We discuss theoretical and methodological implications of these findings for future work.     

论可持续发展教育对中学地理教师的挑战

学校课程中的地理课承担了可持续发展教育的主要内容 ,可持续发展教育纳入中学地理教育中对传统型地理教学来讲是新鲜、活跃、刺激的 ,对地理教育工作者 ,特别是中学地理教师来说意味着机遇 ,也意味着挑战 ,中学地理教师应尽快地调整教育、教学观念 ,更新知识 ,采用新的教学方法 ,转变角色 ,应对挑战     

The Relations Between Children’s Reading Comprehension, Working Memory, Language Skills and Components of Reading Decoding in a Normal Sample

The primary aim of the current study was to identify the strongest independent predictors of reading comprehension using word reading, language and memory variables in a normal sample of 180 children in grades 3–5, with a range of word reading skills. It was hypothesized that orthographic processing, receptive vocabulary and verbal working memory would all make independent contributions to reading comprehension. The contributions of reading speed, receptive grammatical skills, exposure to print, visuospatial working memory and verbal learning and retrieval (a measure of longer-term retention) were also investigated. Working memory tasks that required the processing and storage of numerical and spatial material were used. One of the numerical working memory tasks was based on the number span task developed by Yuill, Oakhill, and Parkin British Journal of Psychology, 1989, 80, 351–361. A visuospatial equivalent of that task was developed from the forward Corsi block task [Corsi, Abstracts International, 1973, 34, 891]. The results revealed that, after controlling for age and general intellectual ability, the word reading and the language variables had a much stronger relation with reading comprehension than the memory variables. The strongest independent predictor of reading comprehension was orthographic processing since it captured variance in both word reading, language skills and verbal working memory. The forward Corsi task and performance on a measure of verbal learning and retrieval each made small independent contributions to reading comprehension but the contribution of verbal working memory was not significant. It was concluded that tasks measuring the interplay between short-term and long-term memory, in which new information is combined with information already stored in long-term memory, may better predict reading comprehension measured with the text available than working memory tasks which only have a short-term memory component.     

论中小学管理中教师的职能

教师职能既是研究的弱点，又是实践的难点。中小学管理中教师职能研究可以完善教育管理理论和教师理论，改进教师教育，提升学校管理效能。教师的基本职能是由常规工作规定的，特别职能是由非常规工作规定的。就教师职能的一般分析，包括基于道德层面的为人师表、法律层面的教书育人、系统层面的承上启下和过程层面的责其始终等四种职能。就实践看，我国中小学教师职能在指导思想上必须强化示范、指导和自治职能，弱化规范、指令和监督职能。     

乡镇中学英语教师的专业能力问题

尽管英语教育在全国各地中学普及已数十载,然而,在许多乡镇中学甚至有些县级中学里,英语教师的专业能力尚存在着各种各样的问题。本文叙述分析了这些教师在语音、语法和交际能力方面的不足之处以及由此对学生学习英语产生的不利影响,并针对如何提高他们的专业能力提出了一些个人看法。     

高师体育专业学生的能力现状及培养

通过江西省部分高师体育专业学生的能力状况调查发现:体育专业学生普遍存在专业思想素质较差、专业知识能力水平较低和组织管理能力不足等现象,尤其是教学能力较差.究其根源既有教学脱离实际之因,也有重传道、授业、解惑而轻能力培养之弊端.要改变此局面,以培养出能力强、素质好的体育教师,一定要注重学生能力的培养.     

Spatial abilities of expert clinical anatomists: comparison of abilities between novices, intermediates, and experts in anatomy

Spatial ability has been found to be a good predictor of success in learning anatomy. However, little research has explored whether spatial ability can be improved through anatomy education and experience. This study had two aims: (1) to determine if spatial ability is a learned or inherent facet in learning anatomy and (2) to ascertain if there is any difference in spatial ability between experts and novices in anatomy. Fifty participants were identified: 10 controls, 10 novices, 10 intermediates, and 20 experts. Participants completed four computerized spatial ability tasks, a visual mental rotation task, categorical spatial judgment task, metric spatial task, and an image-scanning task. The findings revealed that experts (P = 0.007) and intermediates (P = 0.016) were better in the metric spatial task than novices in terms of making more correct spatial judgments. Experts (P = 0.033), intermediates (P = 0.003), and novices (P = 0.004) were better in the categorical spatial task than controls in terms of speed of responses. These results suggest that certain spatial cognitive abilities are especially important and characteristic of work needed in clinical anatomy, and that education and experience contribute to further development of these abilities.     

浅议五十年代中期的短篇小说

20世纪50年代中期的短篇小说是围绕"写真实""干预生活"进行创作的,高举时代旗帜,具有浓烈的新生活气息,对当时的现实生活有深远的影响。     

可持续发展能力建设的人学思考

可持续发展思想包含着既要限制人的能力又力图提高人的能力的双重理念，它认为加强能力建设是实现社会可持续发展的基本动力。从人学角度看，可持续发展能力建设包含两方面内容，一是全面提高人的能力水平，二是限制与规范人的能力的运用。     

发展与稳定：考试政策行政功能分析

考试作为一种测度、甄别、评价人的素质水平的社会活动,具有社会稳定功能。考试的社会稳定功能可能是积极的、有利于社会发展的；也可能不是积极的,不利于社会发展的。考试政策的社会稳定功能必须以社会发展功能为前提,应坚持为了发展的稳定,不能为了稳定而牺牲发展,这样才能实现考试政策行政功能的合理张力。     

中学数学中常用的解题思想和解题方法

阐述了中学数学中几种常用的解题思想：方程的思想、函数思想、转化思想、分类讨论思想、数形结合思想等.同时分析了几种常用的解题方法：换元法、消元法、参数法、递推法、构造法.     

论中学语文学习策略──对初中语文学法教育的探索与实践

语文,在如小学教育中是处于核心地位的学科。如何在语文教学中实施素质教育？如何解决语文教学“少、慢、差、费”问题？怎样在语文教学中培养学生能力,开发智力,提高语文教学效率？这是近20年来语文教学始终未能很好解决的问题。本文试从语文学法教育的角度出发,探讨语文和语文教学的本质以及教学对象的自身特点,从而确立初中语文的学习策略,以期从一个侧面为解决语文教学问题作一点尝试。     

浅析中学英语阅读教学与写说听技能训练的结合

英语阅读本身并不是一个单纯的“阅读文本”的过程,综合运用、实践英语的过程,是训练思维能力、理解能力、概括总结能力与判断能力的有效方法,具有非常丰富的内涵和意义。英语听、说、读、写、译等能力并不是孤立的,而是相对独立、相互渗透、相互促进、相互牵制。英语阅读与其他英语技能训练有效结合,可以获得出人意料的效果。     

What troubles early childhood educators in New Zealand: a 20-year cross-sectional study of ethical difficulties in early childhood practice

For more than 20 years, the New Zealand early childhood (EC) sector has had guidance about how to deal with situations of ethical difficulty in daily practice through the ECE Code of Ethics. This paper reports on three surveys undertaken at 10-year intervals that sought to understand EC educators’ experiences of such situations, and how they addressed them within their EC settings. An analysis of educators’ stories of ethically troubling situations from the three data-sets traced shifts and similarities in the content reported, and in how educators responded to these challenges over the two-decade period. We situate this analysis alongside changes in the New Zealand ECE policy context during the same time frame. We argue that a connection exists between the reported situations and teachers’ responses to them, and changes within the policy and professional context of daily EC practice.     

中学化学研究性课程构建初探

本文对研究性学习及课程结构进行了简单阐述,并对中学化学研究性课程的构建作了初步探究,探索出一条既可以较好地实施素质教育,又可以很好地应对高考的中学化学教育教学新路。     

高职会计专业“双证课程”设计与“双证教材”开发

高职会计专业课程设计体系双证融通的核心,是在会计专业课程体系中增加职业资格证书考试的课程。职业资格证书课程设计模块,不但能解决以就业为导向的课程结构体系组合,还能增强教学安排的弹性,有效应对劳动市场的变化与职业岗位技能的要求。