Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children

Rukiyye Yıldız Altan

doi:10.17679/inuefd.1825400

TR EN

Okul Öncesi Dönemdeki Çocukların Çalışma Belleği ve Sayı Bilgisi Becerisi Arasındaki İlişkiler

Abstract

Çocukların erken matematik öğrenimini etkileyen faktörlerin anlaşılması önemlidir. Çünkü bu erken yetenekler daha sonraki matematik başarısıyla güçlü bir şekilde bağlantılıdır. Bu faktörlerden biri, zihinsel bir işlem gerçekleştirirken bilgiyi zihninde tutma yeteneği olarak bilinen çalışma belleğidir. Çalışma belleğinin matematik başarısı üzerindeki etkilerinin incelenmesi son yıllarda önemli ölçüde ilgi gören bir çalışma alanı olmuştur. Bu çalışmada okul öncesi dönemdeki çocukların çalışma belleği ve sayı bilgisi becerisi arasındaki ilişkiler incelenmiştir. Araştırma Ankara ili merkezinde farklı anaokullarına kayıtlı 165 (%49’u kız ve % 51’i erkek) çocuk ile gerçekleştirilmiştir. Araştırma verilerinin toplanmasında Çalışma Belleği Ölçeği ve Güncellenmiş Erken Aritmetik Testi kullanılmıştır. Verilerin analizinde Pearson Momentler Çarpımı Korelasyon Katsayısı Analizi ve Çoklu Doğrusal Regresyon Analizi kullanılmıştır. Araştırmanın sonuçları, sayı bilgisinin çalışma belleği tüm alt değişkenleri ile pozitif yönlü ve orta düzeyde anlamlı ilişkilere sahip olduğunu göstermiştir. Çalışma belleği değişkenlerinin sayı bilgisi üzerindeki önem sırası, sözel çalışma belleği, görsel çalışma belleği, sözel kısa süreli bellek ve görsel kısa süreli bellek şeklindedir. Buna göre, sözel çalışma belleği, görsel çalışma belleği, sözel kısa süreli bellek ve görsel kısa süreli bellek sayı bilgisinin anlamlı yordayıcılarıdır. Sayı bilgisini yordayan çalışma belleği değişkenleri, sayı bilgisindeki değişimin %55’ini açıklamaktadır. Araştırmanın sonuçları, çocuklara sayı bilgisi becerilerinin kazandırılmasında uygulayıcıların öğrenme süreçlerine çalışma belleği kapasitelerini geliştirmeye ilişkin düzenlemeler yapabilecekleri konusunda önemli çıktılar sunmuştur.

Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children

Abstract

Understanding the factors that influence children's early mathematics learning is important. This is because these early abilities are strongly linked to later mathematical achievement. One such factor is working memory, which is the ability to hold information in one's mind while performing a mental task. The study of the effects of working memory on mathematical achievement has become an area of research that has attracted significant attention in recent years. In this study, the relationships between working memory and number knowledge skills of preschool children were examined. The study was conducted with 165 children (49% girls and 51% boys) enrolled in different kindergartens in the center of Ankara. Working Memory Scale and Updated Early Arithmetic Test were used to collect the data. Pearson Product Moment Correlation Coefficient Analysis and Multiple Linear Regression Analysis were used to analyze the data. The results of the study showed that number knowledge had positive and moderately significant relationships with all sub-variables of working memory. The order of importance of working memory variables on number knowledge is verbal working memory, visual working memory, verbal short-term memory and visual short-term memory. Accordingly, verbal working memory, visual working memory, verbal short-term memory and visual short-term memory are significant predictors of number knowledge. Working memory variables predicting number knowledge explain 55% of the change in number knowledge. These findings obtained from the study were discussed within the framework of the literature. The results of the study provide important insights into how practitioners can make adjustments to learning processes to develop working memory capacity in order to teach children number sense skills.

Keywords

Mathematics, Working memory, Number knowledge, Preschool children

Ethical Statement

Ethical approval for this study was obtained from the Gazi University Ethics Committee (Ethics Committee Approval Number and Date: E.478183, tarih: 07/10/2022). Informed consent was obtained from all participants included in the study. During the processing of personal data, confidentiality principles and ethical approvals were strictly observed. The submission and publication of this study were carried out with the joint consent of all authors.

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Early Childhood Education

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Rukiyye Yıldız Altan ^*
0000-0002-9233-9444
Türkiye

Publication Date

April 30, 2026

Submission Date

November 18, 2025

Acceptance Date

March 18, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 27 Number: 1

DOI

https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1825400

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA84RP76XY

APA

Yıldız Altan, R. (2026). Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education, 27(1), 288-302. https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1825400

AMA

1.Yıldız Altan R. Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children. INUJFE. 2026;27(1):288-302. doi:10.17679/inuefd.1825400

Chicago

Yıldız Altan, Rukiyye. 2026. “Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children”. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education 27 (1): 288-302. https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1825400.

EndNote

Yıldız Altan R (April 1, 2026) Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education 27 1 288–302.

IEEE

[1]R. Yıldız Altan, “Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children”, INUJFE, vol. 27, no. 1, pp. 288–302, Apr. 2026, doi: 10.17679/inuefd.1825400.

ISNAD

Yıldız Altan, Rukiyye. “Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children”. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education 27/1 (April 1, 2026): 288-302. https://doi.org/10.17679/inuefd.1825400.

JAMA

1.Yıldız Altan R. Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children. INUJFE. 2026;27:288–302.

MLA

Yıldız Altan, Rukiyye. “Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children”. İnönü University Journal of the Faculty of Education, vol. 27, no. 1, Apr. 2026, pp. 288-02, doi:10.17679/inuefd.1825400.

Vancouver

1.Rukiyye Yıldız Altan. Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children. INUJFE. 2026 Apr. 1;27(1):288-302. doi:10.17679/inuefd.1825400

Okul Öncesi Dönemdeki Çocukların Çalışma Belleği ve Sayı Bilgisi Becerisi Arasındaki İlişkiler

Abstract

Relationship Between Working Memory and Number Knowledge Skills of Preschool Children

Abstract

Keywords

Ethical Statement

References

Details

Primary Language

Subjects

Journal Section

Authors

Publication Date

Submission Date

Acceptance Date

Published in Issue

DOI

IZ

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