NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF MEMORY AND THE SUCCESS OF THE TRAINING OF YOUNGER SCHOOLCHILDREN
The main activity of any junior schoolchild is the learning that is inextricably linked to cognitive processes such as memory [4]. In schooling, when the amount of incoming information increases, there is a direct correlation between learning activities and memory [3; 8]. Memory can be defined as a complex psychological and physiological process that performs the functions of storing, preserving, recognizing and reproducing of the material. The main forms of memory in the early school years (arbitrary memory and involuntary memory) undergo a qualitative change, by which their close relationship and mutual transitions are established [5].
Given that memory is the basis of cognitive activity and the basis in the formation of almost all academic skills, we were interested in studying the relationship of neuropsychological indices of memory with academic performance of younger students.
The study was conducted in the third grades of secondary schools in Arkhangelsk. The first school is a grammar school and the other is a private school. The study sample included 79 students (34 boys and 45 girls) aged 9-10 years. Participants’ parents were informed about the study and gave the written consent for the participation. To explore the neuropsychological indices of the students memory, we used the technique called "Luria-90" [7]. All results were evaluated using 14 scales. Each of them reflects one of the parameters of mental activity. In addition, the students were examined in order to find out the level of the development of attention using Schulte Tables [1] and we also took into account the academic performance of major subjects (the Russian language, reading, mathematics). In order to determine the relationships between the analysed data we applied the calculation of the linear Pearson’s correlation coefficient.
After mathematical processing of the data we identified the correlation between attention and the following neuropsychological memory characteristics:
the regulation and the control of audio-verbal memory (r=0,49);
the reproduction of the sound structure of words (r=0,45);
the regulation and the control of visual memory (r=0,42);
the volume of audio-verbal memory (r=0,38);
the inhibition of auditory traces (r=0,23);
the playback of the specified order of auditory signals (r=0,40);
the playback of the specified order of visual cues (r=0,36);
the phenomenon of mirror movements (r=0,31);
the strength of the visual traces (r=0,22);
the interhemispheric transfer (r=0,30).
This again confirms the importance of attention to the organization of the children mental activity, particularly of memory processes.
The next stage of statistical processing of the obtained data revealed direct relationships between the success of learning activity and the parameters of the investigated process of memory:
the reproduction of the sound structure of words and the scores in the Russian language (r=0,62);
the regulation and the control of audio-verbal memory and the scores in the Russian language (r=0,55);
the playback of the specified order of visual cues and the score in mathematics (r=0,39);
the phenomenon of mirror movements and the scores in the Russian language (r=0,35);
the strength of visual cues and the score in mathematics (r=0,35);
the interhemispheric transfer and the scores in reading (r=0,33);
the regulation and the control of visual memory and the scores in the Russian language (r=0,41).
Thus, the analysis of neuropsychological parameters of the memory process proves the importance of the contribution of each parameter in the successful mastery of academic skills and has important prognostic value.
Early neuropsychological diagnostics of students allows us to establish the neuropsychological causes of possible aberrations and gives us an opportunity to assume adequate measures in order to optimize the development of brain mechanisms that determine the necessary level of development of mental functions for the successful mastering of educational activity [2; 6].
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