Cognitive strategy interventions improve word problem solving and working memory in children with math disabilities.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Educational Psychology
• Developmental Psychology

Background:

• Children with math disabilities (MD) often struggle with problem-solving accuracy.
• Working memory capacity (WMC) is a critical factor in cognitive tasks, including mathematics.
• The interplay between strategy instruction and WMC in children with and without MD requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine how strategy instruction and WMC influence problem-solving accuracy in third-grade children with and without MD.
• To determine if different types of strategy instruction (verbal, visual, combined) yield varying effects.
• To assess the transfer of strategy training to working memory measures.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving 204 third-grade children, categorized by math disability status and WMC (high/low).
• Four conditions: verbal strategies, visual strategies, combined verbal + visual strategies, and a control group.
• Dependent measures included problem-solving accuracy and working memory transfer (operation span, visual-spatial span).

Main Results:

• Strategy instruction significantly improved problem-solving accuracy, with effects moderated by WMC.
• Specific strategies showed differential effectiveness, influenced by MD status.
• Strategy training on problem-solving tasks demonstrated transfer to working memory measures.

Conclusions:

• Working memory capacity is a key moderator influencing the effectiveness of cognitive strategies on problem-solving and working memory.
• Children with MD and high WMC show the greatest benefit from strategy instruction.
• Findings underscore the importance of considering individual WMC when implementing strategy interventions for mathematical problem-solving.