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Abstracting Sequences: Reasoning That Is a Key to Academic Achievement
Robert Pasnak1, Julie K Kidd, K Marinka Gadzichowski
1a George Mason University.
The Journal of Genetic Psychology
|July 3, 2015
Summary
Teaching young children about sequences enhances their cognitive abilities. This early education intervention improved performance in reading and mathematics, suggesting sequence understanding is foundational for academic success.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Development
- Educational Psychology
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- Understanding sequences is a potentially crucial cognitive skill for academic success.
- Early childhood education can benefit from targeted cognitive interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if teaching sequence understanding improves cognitive abilities in first-grade children.
- To assess the impact of sequence instruction on academic achievement in reading and mathematics.
Main Methods:
- 8 first-grade children from 36 classes were randomly assigned to sequence instruction or control groups.
- Instruction involved various types of sequences (e.g., numerical, symmetrical, rotational) over seven months.
- Control groups received instruction in mathematics, reading, or social studies.
Main Results:
- Children taught sequences demonstrated improved application to novel sequences.
- Sequence-trained children performed equally or better on standardized reading tests compared to controls.
- Sequence-trained children outperformed all groups on mathematics concepts and some mathematics scales.
Conclusions:
- Developing an understanding of sequences is a form of abstraction that supports fluid reasoning.
- Sequence instruction in early education provides a strong foundation for overall academic achievement.
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