Developing and testing a method of remotely improving younger students executive functions, volitional attention and auditory memory

Texto integral

During primary school age, children undergo a quick progression of voluntary actions that indicate cognitive predictors for academic triumph [1]. Modern research indicates that the effectiveness of educational activities heavily relies on the development of working memory, cognitive flexibility, and self-control, all of which are closely associated with brain control functions. Additionally, the level of auditory-speech memory development has a direct influence on reading skills development and the ability to articulate and convey thoughts [2, 3]. According to various sources, between 15 to 40% of schoolchildren in primary grades fall behind, which can cause significant long-term cognitive and social difficulties and lead to various psychosocial consequences. Thus, the importance of taking preventive measures for developing these functions in primary school has increased to prevent the formation of mental defects, which are major factors in a child‘s maladaptation in society.

The current study aims to analyze the effectiveness of the author‘s remote program “Kind Elephant” in improving the auditory-speech memory, voluntary attention, and control functions of younger elementary school students.

The program is designed to complete a range of tasks over a seven-week period, following standardized methods while also accounting for the neurodynamic parameters of children in this age group.

Seventy-six students between the ages of 7 and 9, in grades 1 and 2, were enrolled in the study. Of these, 44 completed the Kind Elephant development program, while the remaining 32 participants served as the control group.

With the assistance of the auditory-speech test and computer techniques, data was obtained on the development of control functions, voluntary attention, and auditory-speech memory in schoolchildren in two sections that were seven weeks apart. The techniques used were Analysis of Sentence Understanding, Bourdon‘s Proof-Reading Test, Hands-Legs-Head, and Understanding of Similar Sounding Words [4]. To investigate the assessment of children‘s programming and control functions, parents completed a BRIEF questionnaire (Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function) before and after the study [5]. An analysis was conducted to determine the significance of differences in indicators between the two groups‘ results.

This study demonstrates the potential for remote development techniques to enhance the ability to regulate behavior, maintain focus on specific activities, reduce fatigue, increase productivity, and improve auditory-speech memory volume.

Thus, younger schoolchildren‘s cognitive development can occur remotely, resolving access challenges for parents and enabling more children to keep pace with peers and thrive in social contexts. The authors maintain that using technology within reasonable limits can be acceptable for children‘s daily life if tailored to their mental maturation.

Sobre autores

T. Tomenko

Laboratory of Clinical and Behavioral Human Studies at the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin

Autor responsável pela correspondência
Email: m.a.trubnikova@gmail.com
Rússia, Yekaterinburg

M. Bogdanova

Laboratory of Clinical and Behavioral Human Studies at the Ural Federal University named after the first President of Russia B.N. Yeltsin

Email: m.a.trubnikova@gmail.com
Rússia, Yekaterinburg

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