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WORKING MEMORY AND PROCESSING SPEED INDEX AS DETERMINANTS OF EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING IN DYSCALCULICS

1 2 K. C. Vashistha and Aditi Bapte

Abstract

Dyscalculia is a type of Learning Disability also known as ‘Number Blindness’ or the lack of number sense. It is the conditions that hamper one’s ability to acquire arithmetical skills. Mathematics is considered one of the toughest subjects since time immemorial as it requires the mastery over various components like language, space and quantity. The Dyscalculic students tend to have a deficit in various cognitive components one of them being Executive functioning, Working Memory and Processing Speed. The purpose of the present research was to assess the Executive functioning of Dyscalculics and examine the effect of Working Memory and Processing Speed Index on it. The Dyscalculic students were screened from the grade levels of VI-VIII from C.B.S.E. Boards of Agra city. A quasi-experimental research design was used with the provision of remedial intervention. The data was analysed using One-way ANOVA and t-Test. The results showed a significant effect of Working Memory and Processing Speed on Executive functioning of Dyscalculics and the remedial intervention proved beneficial for enhancing Executive functioning of Dyscalculics. Thus, the research aims to highlight that Executive functioning of Dyscalculics should be improved with the help of various remedial interventions because it is a good predictor of academic achievement and better numeracy skills.

Keywords: Dyscalculia, Executive functioning, Working memory and Processing Speed Index

INTRODUCTION

subjects since time immemorial as it Learning Disabilities refers to difficulties requires the mastery over various in the sphere of learning. The term is an components like language, space and amalgamation of two separate terms quantity. Dyscalculia came into forefront by „learning‟ and „disability‟. To a layman the efforts of Kosc (1974) who studied it this term may indicate some form of under the neuro-biological orientation. It‟s categorization or type of disability. But hard to define Dyscalculia in its broadest the very concept of Learning Disability sense due to the complexity of numerical comes from the need of identifying the processing. The Department for Education children who had no physical or mental and Skills, USA (DfES, 2001) considers symptoms of the pre-conceived notions Dyscalculia as a condition which affects the of a disability and who on the contrary arithmetic skills and the individual may seem to be like their normal peer group. have a difficulty in (a) understanding simple This concept came into forefront due to number facts, (b) low grasping ability, and the rigorous efforts of Kirk (1963) who (c) difficulty in learning number facts and explored this concept in reference to procedures, and even if they are able to do the neurobiological dimensions and the above it may be solely mechanically. demarcated it from the general notion Further, the Diagnostic and Statistical of handicap. Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V, 2013) Dyscalculia is one such Learning Disability also known as „Number refers Dyscalculia as „Mathematics Blindness‟ (Butterworth, Disorder‟ and identifies them as individuals 2003) or the lack of number sense. It is the who have problem in (a) remembering condition that hamper one‟s ability to number facts, (b) slow arithmetic acquire arithmetical skills. Mathematics is calculation, (c) inaccurate mathematical considered one of the toughest reasoning and (d) avoidance of activities

dealing with mathematics. It is for this K. C. Vashistha1 , Dean & Head, Aditi Bapte2 reason that students with Dyscalculia Faculty of Education, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Dayalbagh (Deemed usually rely on „immature methods‟ of University), counting on fingers, using tally, etc. which than poor literacy” (Parsons &Bynners, are not suitable to one‟s mental and 2005). “Many factors contribute to chronological age differences in mathematics achievement,

(Butterworth, 1999). Dyscalculics, then including attitudes, motivation, language further there is problem in developmental ability and IQ, in addition to social, and delay in counting, addition and educational factors. It is clear that domain- subtraction (Geary et al., 2000). A specific numerical skills and knowledge are longitudinal study by Ostad (1997,1999) important for success with mathematics” suggests these delay exist in fifth class (Gilmore et al., 2010), but other cognitive for addition and seventh class for factors also play an important role. “In subtraction. The recent researches also particular, the domain-general skill of report a deficit in various cognitive holding and manipulating information in components of Working Memory mind (working memory) has been found to (McClean & Hitch, 1999), Executive be critical “(Raghubar, 2010). “Inhibition, Dysfunction (McClean & Hitch, 1999; the ability to suppress distracting Passolgunhi & Siegel, 2004). Thus, information and unwanted responses, and Dyscalculics face significant problems shifting, the ability to flexibly switch when it comes to numero-spatial or attention between different tasks, have also verbal abilities. been implicated in mathematics Emergence of the Problem achievement” (Bull & Screif, 2001). These

“Children‟s underachievement in processes fall under the umbrella of mathematics is a consistent and significant problem” (Dowker, Executive function (EF); skills required to

2009). “These problems endure into monitor and control thought and action. adulthood, and it is estimated that a fifth of Thus, these process have a significant adults have numeracy skills below the basic connect with Mathematics. level needed for everyday situations” But the situation takes a grim route when it (William et al., 2003). “Mathematics ability comes to students who have yet another genetic learning disability to follow in is crucial for success and poor mathematics Mathematics, i.e., Dyscalculia. Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability which affects 6 percent of the population. Dyscalculics skills have a bigger impact on life chances are not unintelligent but struggle to learn mathematics and mathematics related learning concepts (such as quantity, place Ho3: There will be no effect of value, and time), difficulty memorizing math facts, difficulty organizing numbers, and Remedial intervention for understanding how problems are organized on the page but still have a normal or improving the Working Memory above normal and Processing Speed Index of IQ. Dyscalculics.

METHOD USED IN THE PRESENT

STUDY Objectives of the Study The researcher used „Quasi- experimental Method‟ in the study The following objectives are laid down in this study SELECTION OF THE SAMPLE

1. To examine the Executive Functioning of Dyscalculics. The sample of 40 Dyscalculic students

2. To examine the effect of Working studying in school affiliated to CBSE board Memory on Executive Functioning of Dyscalculics. were selected from classes 6-8. The Radhaballab public school was selected for 3. To find out the effect of Processing Speed Index on Executive Functioning of that present study. Dyscalculic Identification Dyscalculics. Scale was administered on the students

4. To provide Remedial intervention for from class VI- VIII standards. After improving Working Memory and evaluation the researcher has diagnosed Processing Speed Index of about fourty students with Dyscalculia. Dyscalculics.

Hypotheses of the Study

In the context of the above-mentioned objectives the following null hypothesis are formulated:

Ho1: There will be no effect of Working Memory on Executive Functioning of Dyscalculics.

Ho2: There will be no effect of

Processing Speed Index on the

Executive Functioning of

Dyscalculics.

5 activities), Inhibition (cancelling out the

undesired stimuli from the environment) TOOLS OF THE STUDY and Cognitive flexibility ( the mental ability The present research makes use of the following tools in the study: to switch between thinking between

1. Dyscalculic Identification Scale by concepts and think about multiple Vashistha & Gupta (2014). concepts). 2. Self-constructed tools of Executive functioning, Working Memory and Processing Speed Index. To examine the effect of Working Memory on Executive Functioning of FINDINGS OF THE STUDY Dyscalculics

To examine the Executive Findings that were reported in regard to Functioning of Dyscalculics the effect of the one Predictive variable

The self-constructed tool of Executive on the Criterion variable of the study, functioning was administered on the where Predictive variable being identified sample of Dyscalculics before Working Memory and the Criterion dividing them in the controlled and variable being the Executive experimental groups. The tool consists of functioning. This effect was analyzed seven dimensions of Executive functioning with the help of one way ANOVA in the namely: Concept Formation (an inductive SPSS version 20. The findings are as teaching strategy that helps form a clear follows: understanding of a concept through Table 1.1: F-table exhibiting the effect of Working Memory on Executive functioning of studying a set of examples), Verbal fluency Dyscalculics

(The ability to form and express words Sum of d Mean p- SN Values Squares f Square F value compatible with required for optimal 7. Between 71 .1 communication and deduction), 1 Groups 163.413 9 18.157 3 30

Organization (recognizing the right pattern Within 2 Groups 317.962 30 10.599 and sequencing the information in the right 3 Total 481.375 39 order), Visuo-spatial processing ( a human computational capacity that provides the ability to solve spatial problems), Planning( the process of thinking and organizing the 6 Then it was found that the F-value is The F(163.4, 317.9) with significance 8.7 with significance value since the p- value since the p-value was less than the value was less than the 0.01 level of 0.01 level of significance the null significance hence, the null hypothesis hypothesis was rejected. Indicating a was rejected. Indicating a significant significant effect of Working Memory on effect of Processing Speed Index on Executive functioning of the Dyscalculics. Executive functioning of the Various other researches have also Dyscalculics. The studies in shown a significant effect of Working coincidence with the above findings Memory on Executive functioning in was proved by a longitudinal study reference to the Mathematical ability (Bull done on 6-85 year olds by Cepeda, & Scherif, 2012) and Miyake.,et al. (2001) Blackwell & Munakata (2013). suggested a latent relation between the

The effect of Remedial intervention on above two Predictive and Criterion Working Memory and Executive functioning on variables. Executive functioning of The effect of Processing Speed Dyscalculics. Index on Executive functioning on Dyscalculics For the purpose of providingthe remedial

To study the effect of Processing Speed intervention a fourteen session instruction index on Executive functioning on set was administered on the Experimental

Dyscalculics the approved statistics used group of 20 Dyscalculics of Classes 6-8 was One Way ANOVA with the help of (C.B.S.E. Board). But before administering

SPSS. the remediation the Experimental and

Table 1.2 : F-table exhibiting the effect of Control groups were equated by comparing Working Memory on Executive functioning of their sample means with the help of Dyscalculics Students‟ t- Test. The results indicated an Sum of Mean p- S Square Squar valu Experimental mean of 18.05 whereas, N Values s df e F e

Between 153.41 8.7 Control mean of 17.2 and the S.D. values of 1 Groups 3 9 18.157 13 .130

Within 324.96 both the 2 Groups 2 30 10.599 Experimental and Control group was 481.37 3 Total 5 39 2.68 and 2.41 respectively. Thus,

indicating a very marginal difference. remediation. The scores are assessed

The Student t-Test value came to be with the help of Paired t- Test using

0.71 which was insignificant at the p- SPSS version 20. The results indicated

value of 0.484. Hence showing that a t- value of 10.01 with a p-value of

there was no difference between the 0.00 which was highly significant on the

Experimental and Control groups in 0.05 level of significance.

reference to their Executive functioning Significance of the Study scores.

Table 1.3: Paired t-values for Pre- and Today we live in a world of challenges

Post-test Scores of the Experimental which can be converted into the desired

group opportunities if one has the right skill to do so. These challenges become all the more p- val challenging for students with learning Paired ue Differences t df * disabilities. The world runs around the Mea Std. n Std. Error 95% number game. Good numeracy skills are Deviati on Mean Confidence important for being a successful member of Interval of the

the society. Bad numeracy skills are a

Difference

Variabl Upp handicap than poor literacy skills when it e Lower er

comes to getting a job, maintain a job and EF Pre - - & - - being promoted within employment. 1.4964 .3346 4.050 2.6410.

Post- 3.350 9 2 3 9 0 19 .000 test 00 Keeping this in view a learning disorder

62 11

related to Mathematics makes the situation *significant at 0.05 level of significance all the more gross. Thus, students with

Now the remedial intervention is Dyscalculia when enter this demanding provided to the Experimental group world are somewhat slow paced when consisting of 20 Dyscalculic children on compared to their peers. They face the grounds of Working Memory and problems in day to day Processing Speed remediation. The

Executive functioning tool when applied

to the Experimental group is later

reassessed after the sessions of 8 Working Memory and Processing Speed simple calculations and skills required Index have on Executive functioning of the to take decisions. Hence in the long run Dyscalculics. The major task at hand is to they fall victim to anxiety, low self- provide a remedial intervention for bringing esteem and depression. about an improvement in Working Memory Executive functions play a vital role and and Processing Speed Index of these have a significant relation with the mathematics learning disables. As numerical ability. The students with Dyscalculia is a genetic disorder and cannot dyscalculia are said to have problems the be cured one cannot wait for the conditions to managing the various cognitive processes. worsen. But an immediate need arises to They lack behind their peers because low intervene from the very beginning. Its crucial working memory and processing speed that the parents, teachers and policy-makers index. Both working memory and help these students to be successful to make processing speed are interrelated with appropriate decisions. Therefore this executive functions. Hence, if these endeavor of the researcher to assess the students are helped regarding the effect of Working memory and Processing enhancement of theses major components speed index of students with Dyscalculia and it will lead to the efficient execution and to improve the them to bring about a management of these cognitive processes. constructive difference in the Executive It is the cognitive abilities that keep the functioning of the Dyscalculics. Which in turn Dyscalculics from true progress. can help the policy makers and curriculum

Hence, it becomes all the more important to constructors better understand the deal with their day to day inefficiency at Dyscalculics and include the components various tasks not just numerical tasks in which enhance their Executive functioning in general. It‟s important to identify their the very curricula. Thus its greatest benefit prevalence rate of the making life happy and a bit easy in the long Dyscalculic students at the Elementary level run for the already strenuous life that these and then to assess the Executive functioning. students lead in the world. Then its important to examine the effect both 273-293. 9

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