Why do some kids struggle with maths? A Stanford study reveals it's not just about numbers, but a difficulty in learning from mistakes due to cognitive control. Learn why.
Researchers at Stanford University investigated why some children have trouble with maths despite putting in lots of effort. Their study, published in the journal JNeurosci, shows that these difficulties might not only stem from a lack of number understanding but also from how children learn from their mistakes and modify their thinking.
Why Some Children Struggle
In the study, children were given simple tasks that involved comparing quantities. At times, they had to choose between written numbers like 4 and 7, and other times between groups of dots, which required quick estimation. This approach helped researchers assess both basic quantity recognition and the ability to understand symbols representing numbers. Rather than focusing solely on whether answers were correct, the team examined how children's performance evolved over time. They tracked whether kids adjusted their methods after making errors.
Difficulty Adjusting
The results showed that children who had trouble with maths often did not change their strategies following mistakes. Even when the errors were of different types, these children seldom revised their thinking. Brain scans revealed reduced activity in areas of the brain linked to cognitive control. This region is responsible for monitoring performance, noticing errors, and adapting behaviour. This lower brain activity might help predict whether a child has typical or atypical math abilities.
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Broader Implications
The findings suggest that maths difficulties could be linked to a more general challenge in learning to adjust strategies, not just an issue with understanding numbers. Children who struggle to revise their approach might also face challenges in other areas of learning where recognizing errors and trying new strategies is important.
The researchers intend to test these findings with larger and more diverse groups of children, including those with other learning challenges. They hope to explore whether difficulties in adjusting thinking are a broader factor in academic struggles beyond maths.
