Processing Speed throughout Primary School Education: Evidence from a Cross-Country Longitudinal Study

This cross-country four-year longitudinal study investigated the development of processing speed throughout primary school education. The analyses were conducted on data accumulated from 441 pupils in grades from 1 to 4 (aged 6.42 to 11.85 years) in Kyrgyzstan and Russia. Mixed effects growth modeling was applied to estimate average and individual growth trajectories for processing speed in two cross-country samples. Latent class growth modeling was conducted to describe various types of growth trajectories for processing speed and to compare the distribution of the types within the analyzed samples. According to the results, processing speed significantly increases across primary school years. The trajectory is described by nonlinear changes with most dynamic growth between grades 1 and 2, which slows down until grade 4. No significant cross-country differences were found in the initial score of processing speed or developmental changes in processing speed across primary school years. The development of processing speed is described by a model including three quadratic growth types but this minimally differs. It is concluded that in both samples, the development of processing speed may be characterized by homogeneity, with the most intensive growth from grade 1 to grade 2 and subsequent linear improvement until grade 4.

Development of metacognitive competencies of students in the process of constructing mathematical problems for younger students

The article presents a description of the study of the effectiveness of methodological tools aimed at developing metacognitive competence in future elementary school teachers in the classroom on the methodology of teaching mathematics to younger students.

The aim of the study is to empirically test the effectiveness of a set of methodological techniques used in the classroom on the methodology of teaching mathematics to future elementary school teachers as a means of developing their metacognitive competencies. The hypothesis of the study is the assumption that one of the effective means of developing metacognitive competencies in future elementary school teachers is special classes for compiling original scenarios of verbal mathematical problems for younger students. A professionally developed verbal composition of a mathematical problem sets the vector of mental activity for the younger student. It requires the developer to build a forecast of the child’s mental actions, determine algorithms and levels of difficulty in obtaining the right solution. The study used methods for testing students’ cognitive characteristics (intelligence) and peer review of their “metacognitive knowledge”, “metacognitive skills”, “metacognitive experience” and “metacognitive strategies”. The methodological solutions implemented in the classroom have shown their effectiveness. For the practice of preparing future primary school teachers, it is important that the well-organized development of compositions of textual mathematical problems for younger students is an effective means of developing their metacognitive competencies.

Predicting Academic Achievement with Cognitive Abilities: Cross-Sectional Study across School Education

The relationship between cognitive abilities and academic achievement across schooling from the first to the eleventh grade was analyzed. Information processing speed, visuospatial working memory, number sense, and fluid intelligence were considered predictors of general academic achievement, which was derived from grades in mathematics, language, and biology. This cross-sectional study involved 1560 pupils who were in grades 1-11 at general education schools and were aged from 6.8 to 19.1 years (50.4% were boys). Information processing speed, visuospatial working memory, and number sense were measured using the Choice Reaction Time, Corsi Block-Tapping, and Number Sense computerized tests, respectively. Fluid intelligence was measured using the paper-and-pencil version of the Standard Progressive Matrices test. Correlation analysis and structural equation modeling were carried out. It was shown that it is possible to describe the structure of the relationship between cognitive abilities and academic achievement for all levels of schooling with a single model. In this model, information processing speed is the key predictor of fluid intelligence, working memory, and number sense, which in turn contribute to individual differences in academic success. Additionally, the specificity of the relationship between individual indicators of cognitive abilities and academic achievement at each level of schooling was revealed.