The development of executive functioning across the transition to first grade and its predictive value for academic achievement

Vandenbroucke, Loren; Verschueren, Karine; Baeyens, Dieter

doi:10.1016/j.learninstruc.2016.12.008

Cited by 59 publications

(54 citation statements)

References 41 publications

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“…This component of EF starts to develop very early and forms an important base for other EFs, such as cognitive flexibility or planning (Diamond, 2013). Additionally, of the three core EFs, working memory has been most consistently linked to children’s general development and learning (Bull and Lee, 2014; Vandenbroucke et al, 2017). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers’ and Parents’ Emotional Support on Children’s Working Memory Performance

et al. 2017

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Working memory, used to temporarily store and mentally manipulate information, is important for children’s learning. It is therefore valuable to understand which (contextual) factors promote or hinder working memory performance. Recent research shows positive associations between positive parent–child and teacher–student interactions and working memory performance and development. However, no study has yet experimentally investigated how parents and teachers affect working memory performance. Based on attachment theory, the current study investigated the role of parent and teacher emotional support in promoting working memory performance by buffering the negative effect of social stress. Questionnaires and an experimental session were completed by 170 children from grade 1 to 2 (Mage = 7 years 6 months, SD = 7 months). Questionnaires were used to assess children’s perceptions of the teacher–student and parent–child relationship. During an experimental session, working memory was measured with the Corsi task backward (Milner, 1971) in a pre- and post-test design. In-between the tests stress was induced in the children using the Cyberball paradigm (Williams et al., 2000). Emotional support was manipulated (between-subjects) through an audio message (either a weather report, a supportive message of a stranger, a supportive message of a parent, or a supportive message of a teacher). Results of repeated measures ANOVA showed no clear effect of the stress induction. Nevertheless, an effect of parent and teacher support was found and depended on the quality of the parent–child relationship. When children had a positive relationship with their parent, support of parents and teachers had little effect on working memory performance. When children had a negative relationship with their parent, a supportive message of that parent decreased working memory performance, while a supportive message from the teacher increased performance. In sum, the current study suggests that parents and teachers can support working memory performance by being supportive for the child. Teacher support is most effective when the child has a negative relationship with the parent. These insights can give direction to specific measures aimed at preventing and resolving working memory problems and related issues.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers’ and Parents’ Emotional Support on Children’s Working Memory Performance

et al. 2017

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“…Inhibition and cognitive flexibility may consequently be associated with academic achievement in preschool period, but not during the transition to school. In line with this argument, previous research has found an association between inhibition and academic achievement at 3-to 5-years-of-age (Willoughby et al, 2016), but not between 5-and 6-years-of-age (Vandenbroucke et al, 2017). An alternative explanation surrounds the appropriateness of the tasks used to assess cool EF skills.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…In addition, greater cognitive flexibility and inhibition were associated with better numeracy, literacy and vocabulary skills in 4-year-olds (R. Duncan, Mcclelland, & Acock, 2017). However, other research has found that although improvements in working memory and cognitive flexibility between 5-and 6-years-old predicted academic achievement, improvement in inhibition was not related to academic achievement (Vandenbroucke, Verschueren, & Baeyens, 2017) Understanding the link between specific EF skills and academic achievement will provide greater insight into the role that EF plays in children's successful transition to school.…”

Section: Rationale For the Studymentioning

confidence: 96%

The contribution of cool and hot executive function to academic achievement, learning-related behaviours, and classroom behaviour

O’Toole

Monks

Tsermentseli

et al. 2018

Early Child Development and Care

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The primary aim of this study was to examine whether individual differences in cool and hot executive functions (EF) were associated with children's transition to school, in terms of both academic performance and classroom behaviour. Children between 5-and 7-years-of-age (N = 90) completed performance based assessments of cool and hot EF as well as verbal ability. Teachers reported on children's reading and numeracy performance, learning-related behaviours, hyperactivity, and aggression. Results revealed that EF, in particular working memory, was associated with reading and numeracy performance and that this relation was mediated by learning-related behaviours. EF was not associated with hyperactive or aggressive behaviour. The findings strengthen the evidence base for the importance of EF in early academic performance and underscore its potential to be a beneficial part of early education curriculum and a target for early intervention for successful transition to school.

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“…Longitudinal studies that together include hundreds of 5 years old children demonstrate robust associations between tests of inhibition and memory before entering kindergarten, and math and reading achievement in kindergarten (Blair & Razza, 2007;Bull & Scerif, 2001;Welsh, Nix, Blair, Bierman, & Nelson, 2010;Willoughby, Magnus, Vernon-Feagans, Blair, & Family Life Project, 2017). Similar studies in kindergarten children predict math and reading achievement throughout elementary school and beyond (Al Otaiba & Fuchs, 2006;Best et al, 2011;Bull & Scerif, 2001;Monette, Bigras, & Guay, 2011;Vandenbroucke & Baeyens, 2017). In a meta-analysis of six longitudinal studies involving over 30,000 students, attention skills in kindergarten, along with early math and reading schools, predicted math and reading achievement throughout elementary and middle school (Duncan et al, 2007).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

Increasing Readiness to Learn: Benefits of Executive Function Training in Kindergarten Carry over to First Grade

Imal¹,

Wexler²

2018

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Executive Function skills such as focused attention, inhibition or self-control, and working memory in preschool and kindergarten predict reading and math achievement in elementary school and beyond. A growing body of research indicates that these skills can be improved by repetitive practice of progressively more difficult tasks that require Executive Function. We report that children who participated in an integrated program of computer presented and physical exercises to improve Executive Function when in kindergarten then entered first grade with greater attention and self-control skills than their first grade classmates who had not participated in the program.

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The development of executive functioning across the transition to first grade and its predictive value for academic achievement

Cited by 59 publications

References 41 publications

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers’ and Parents’ Emotional Support on Children’s Working Memory Performance

Keeping the Spirits Up: The Effect of Teachers’ and Parents’ Emotional Support on Children’s Working Memory Performance

The contribution of cool and hot executive function to academic achievement, learning-related behaviours, and classroom behaviour

Increasing Readiness to Learn: Benefits of Executive Function Training in Kindergarten Carry over to First Grade

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