The role of working memory and phonemic awareness in number writing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5902/1984644491162Keywords:
Number transcoding, Working memory, Phonemic awarenessAbstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the relationships between working memory and phonemic awareness as predictors of number writing ability (numerical transcoding). To this end, 127 students in 3rd and 4th grades from municipal schools in Porto Alegre-RS were assessed for numerical transcoding (writing of numbers), phonemic awareness (phoneme suppression) and working memory (phonological, visuospatial, and central executive components). It was found a significant predictive power of age, number of digits in the numeral, phonological and central executive components of working memory on performance in number writing when all the assessed competencies were considered. In addition, a small mediation effect of phonemic awareness was observed in the relationship between working memory and numerical transcoding. Thus, the influence of linguistic cognitive skills on numerical transcoding was evident and because of that is an aspect to be considered when thinking about pedagogical strategies to develop number writing in the classroom.
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