The Effect Of Executive Function Embedded Activity-based Training In Pupils

Executive function is goal-oriented and involves,directs or coordinates other lower cognitive processes through higher cognitive abilities,including three core components: working memory updating,inhibitory control,and cognitive flexibility.Research has found that executive function not only develops gradually with age,but also can be improved through training.The existing training mainly includes computerized training and non-computerized training.Among them,the computerized method is effective for the core components of executive function,but its ecological validity is low.While non-computerized training is conducted through specific activities,its effects are smaller than computerized training,but they have higher ecological validity and are more likely to improve children’s performance in daily life.On this basis,researchers embed executive function into specific activities to achieve training.But so far,such studies have focused on preschool children,and few researchers have paid attention to primary school,which has a large age span and great differences in cognitive abilities among different ages.Primary school children,on the other hand,experience more critical periods,and their development schedule is relatively close,and it has an important impact on children’s environmental adaptability and academic achievement in the future.Therefore,this study adopted the method of combining the core components of executive function with activities,designed training courses suitable for primary school students,verified the training effect of such courses in different grades of primary school students,and explored the relevant factors affecting the training effect.We adopted the design of pre-test + training + post-test + delayed post-test,in which 82 students in the lower grade(first grade)and 86 students in the upper grade(fifth grade)participated in the study.For each grade,they were divided into two groups: executive function training group and regular teaching group.The training group received 45-minute classroom training twice a week for 4 weeks outside of school teaching.The regular group only attended school.Both groups completed executive function tests before,after and after a delay.The results found that:(1)Compared with the control group,the first-year training group significantly improved performance on working memory,inhibitory control,and cognitive flexibility;(2)Compared with the control group,the fifth-grade training group also improved their performance on working memory and cognitive flexibility;(3)The activity-based training program embedded in executive function has certain effect in both grade one and grade five children,but the training effect of grade one children is better than grade five;(4)In the first grade,there was a negative relationship between the baseline level of individual working memory and inhibitory control and the benefit of training,that is,subjects with low baseline level had greater improvement in executive function after training,which supported the compensation effect.