How are pupils’ working memory skills linked to their mathematical abilities?

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What did the study find?

The researchers found that the pupils’ working memory skills predicted over a quarter of the differences in their scores on a mathematics test. The researchers found that pupils’ mathematical abilities, independent of their age, were related to their ability to

to process information; and
to store and manipulate visual information.

The researchers suggested that their findings indicated that the working memory processes that pupils use to support their work in maths change with age.

This study found that pupils in Year 3 were more reliant on their ability to manipulate and store visual information than on their ability to manipulate and store verbal information when solving mathematical problems. The researchers suggested that these pupils were using their visual memory as a mental blackboard to represent abstract problems in a concrete form, for example representing numbers along a mental number line.

Pupils in Year 5 were beginning to use verbal aspects of their working memory when solving simple mathematical problems. But when they encountered more complex problems they reverted to using visual aspects of their working memory. The researchers suggested that this happened when pupils could not rely on direct retrieval of a solution from long term memory, e.g. drawing on remembered number bonds (simple combinations of numbers that add up to the same value, number bonds to 10 include 3+7, 4+6, 8+2).

The researchers suggested that Year 5 pupils may have used their ability to manipulate verbal information to solve simple mathematical problems because they are able to use mature solution strategies, which include the direct retrieval of an answer from long term memory. Pupils in Year 5 continued to rely on their ability to manipulate and store visual information to solve more difficult questions, and researchers suggested that this occurred when direct retrieval strategies could not be applied.

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Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction What did the study find? How did the researchers define working memory and how was it tested? How were pupils' mathematical skills tested? How was the study designed? What are the implications? Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To find out more about collated digests click here Get Word Reader How are pupils’ working memory skills linked to their mathematical abilities? This digest found in Mathematics Send to a friend Word doc 90KB Printer friendly Collate for later What did the study find? The researchers found that the pupils’ working memory skills predicted over a quarter of the differences in their scores on a mathematics test. The researchers found that pupils’ mathematical abilities, independent of their age, were related to their ability to to process information; and to store and manipulate visual information. The researchers suggested that their findings indicated that the working memory processes that pupils use to support their work in maths change with age. This study found that pupils in Year 3 were more reliant on their ability to manipulate and store visual information than on their ability to manipulate and store verbal information when solving mathematical problems. The researchers suggested that these pupils were using their visual memory as a mental blackboard to represent abstract problems in a concrete form, for example representing numbers along a mental number line. Pupils in Year 5 were beginning to use verbal aspects of their working memory when solving simple mathematical problems. But when they encountered more complex problems they reverted to using visual aspects of their working memory. The researchers suggested that this happened when pupils could not rely on direct retrieval of a solution from long term memory, e.g. drawing on remembered number bonds (simple combinations of numbers that add up to the same value, number bonds to 10 include 3+7, 4+6, 8+2). The researchers suggested that Year 5 pupils may have used their ability to manipulate verbal information to solve simple mathematical problems because they are able to use mature solution strategies, which include the direct retrieval of an answer from long term memory. Pupils in Year 5 continued to rely on their ability to manipulate and store visual information to solve more difficult questions, and researchers suggested that this occurred when direct retrieval strategies could not be applied.