Private Speech and Strategy-Use Patterns

Abstract

The present study examines private speech and strategy-use patterns for solving simple number fact problems in addition. The progressive differentiation by grade between children's levels of private speech internalization--including silence--was investigated and related to children's developmental patterns for subcategories of strategy-use internalization. Comparisons were made between 67 children with math difficulties (MD) and 67 children without MD from Grade 2 to Grade 7 in primary schools. Two separate laboratory investigations were performed for each child to examine private speech and strategy-use internalization. Analysis was based on private speech category differences, strategy-use differences, and differences in the occurrence of private speech-strategy-use combinations. Children without MD showed a grade-determined shift from less to more internalized private speech and from the use of backup strategies to retrieval strategies. In contrast, the private speech and the strategy-use internalization of children with MD, reflected in inaudible private speech and backup strategy use, seemed to converge at earlier developmental levels. The development of children with MD seemed almost to stop at the inaudible private speech-backup strategy combination level. The silence-retrieval strategy combination level was the primary alternative for typical math achievers. In all, the characteristics of the development curves of the children with MD were consistent with a developmental difference and not with a developmental delay model. Implications for intervention and future research methodology are discussed.

Fact Retrieval Deficits in Low Achieving Children and Children With Mathematical Learning Disability

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Effects of Mathematics Anxiety and Mathematical Metacognition on Word Problem Solving in Children with and without Mathematical Learning Difficulties

“…We also emphasize that this study only examined the structural relationship between metacognition, operationalized using a particular scale, and a particular (albeit important) form of mathematics performance, WPS. Further studies should record specific metacognitive behaviors, such as the types of strategies employed, during the solving of word problems to extend these results [ 82 ]. Other types of mathematics problems remain to be explored.…”

Formative Assessment Using the “Think Aloud” Method for the Development of Executive Functions and Mathematical Problem-Solving Ability

“…Through the "think aloud method", students realize their potential and weaknesses, evaluate them and exercise control over them. As stressed in the literature (Bannert & Mengelkamp, 2008;Ostad & Sorensen, 2007), by reflective thinking, pupils not only verbalize their thoughts and strategies while engaging in cognitive work but, at the same time, they become self-motivated and they develop self-evaluation and self-reflection.…”

“…Verbal feedback is provided by the teacherafter the student is asked to answer metacognitive questions posed by the teacher, while cognitive strategies for mathematical problems are taught and encouraged to be applied in real mathematical contexts (Özsoy et al, 2017). The "think aloud" method allows the identification of the cognitive strategies involved in the elaboration of complex cognitive projects and the different strategies that students trigger at different learning levels (Montague et al, 2011;Ostad & Sorensen, 2007;Özcan et al, 2017). This method has been presented as an important tool for the educator to provide feedback to his students, to design effective educational interventions and to enhance mathematical problemsolving abilities as well as metacognition and self-control (Fox et al, 2011;García Fernández et al, 2016;Gidalevich & Kramarski, 2017;Jacobse & Harskamp, 2012;Vandevelde et al, 2015;M.…”