Cognitive Components of Learning Problems in Arithmetic

Three cognitive factors have been suggested as responsible for children's learning problems in simple arithmetic: (a) the encoding of numbers, (b) the efficiency of operation execution, and (c) strategies for carrying out the operations. The study reported here compares these cognitive components across three groups of Grade 5 children: a group having problems in arithmetic, a group having problems in reading, and a control group. The method of subtraction is applied to response times in various arithmetic tasks to yield measures of the cognitive components of single digit addition and subtraction. Results indicate that children with arithmetic learning problems are characterized by very slow operation execution; there is less support for inefficient number encoding, and none for inappropriate strategies. The implications for the design of remedial instruction and for further studies of learning problems are discussed.

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