Skills underlying mathematics: The role of executive function in the development of mathematics proficiency

By Lucy Cragg, Camilla Gilmore. 2014

543 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The successful learning and performance of mathematics relies on a range of individual, social and educational factors. Recent research suggests that executive function skills, which include monitoring and manipulating information in mind (working memory), suppressing distracting information and unwanted responses (inhibition) and flexible thinking (shifting), play a critical role in the development of mathematics proficiency. This paper reviews the literature to assess concurrent relationships between mathematics and executive function skills, the role of executive function skills in the performance of mathematical calculations, and how executive function skills support the acquisition of new mathematics knowledge. In doing so, we highlight key theoretical issues within the field and identify future avenues for research.

Subfields: Cognitive Neuroscience, Experimental and Cognitive Psychology, Statistics and Probability

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/40f01aec5239d204bfdaa76f364a0c26f0c7b378

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In Cognitive Neuroscience

In Experimental and Cognitive Psychology

In Statistics and Probability

Citations in the corpus

The Classroom as a Developmental Context for Cognitive Development: A Meta-Analysis on the Importance of Teacher–Student Interactions for Children’s Executive Functions (2018, background): “…a caveat, as this core EF has been linked to children’s learning-related behavior in the classroom (Fitzpatrick & Pagani, 2012; Gathercole et al., 2007) and has most consistently been related to children’s academic functioning (Cragg & Gilmore, 2014; Vandenbroucke, Verschueren, & Baeyens, 2017).”
The role of cognitive inhibition in different components of arithmetic (2015, background): “Particular attention has been paid to executive functions—the skills required to monitor and control thought and action—and the role they play in learning and performing mathematics (see reviews by Cragg and Gilmore 2014; Bull and Lee 2014).”
The neuroscience of conceptual learning in science and mathematics (2016, background): “In turn, this work should suggest classroom-based interventions that will improve both science and mathematics educational outcomes [53].”
How socioeconomic status, executive functioning and verbal interactions contribute to early academic achievement in Chinese children (2017, background): “…that executive functioning, verbal interactions, phonological awareness and visual skills are important correlates of reading and mathematics outcomes for English- and Chinese-speaking children (e.g. Cragg & gilmore, 2014; Shaul & Schwartz, 2014), their associations are further described as below.”