Enhancing Children’s Numeracy and Executive Function Skills via Explicit Integration: A Randomized Controlled Trial: Integrating numeracy and the executive

Gaia Scerif, Emma Blakey, Sylvia Gattas, Amy Godfrey, A Hannah, Zachary Hawes, Steven Howard, Rebecca Merkley, Rosemary O'Connor, Victoria Simms, Jelena Sucevic

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Executive functions (EF) are crucial to regulating learning and are predictors of emerging mathematics. However, interventions that leverage EF to improve mathematics remain poorly understood. 193 four-year-olds (mean age = 3 years:11 months pre-intervention; 111 females, 69% White) were assessed 5 months apart, with 103 children randomized to an integrated EF and mathematics intervention. We hypothesized that the intervention would improve mathematics scores more than practice-as-usual. Multi-level modelling and network analyses were applied to the data. The intervention group improved more than the control group in overall numeracy, even when controlling for differences across settings in EF and mathematics enhancing practices. EF and mathematics measures showed greater interconnectedness between EF and mathematics post-intervention. In addition, disadvantaged children in the intervention group made greater gains than in the control group. Our findings emphasize the need to consider EFs in their integration with co-developing functions, and in their educational and socio-economic context.
Original languageEnglish
Journalnpj Science of Learning
Publication statusAccepted/In press - 27 Jan 2025

Data Access Statement

The data and the analytic code necessary to reproduce the analyses presented here are available on Open Science Framework [link]. A full description of the baseline and endline assessment materials is also available on Open Science Framework [link]. The intervention efficacy analyses were preregistered on Open Science Framework before data collection began [link].

Keywords

  • executive functions
  • early numeracy
  • integrated interventions
  • network analyses

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