Training basic numerical skills in children with Down syndrome using the computerized game “The Number Race”

Abstract

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) present reduced basic numerical skills, which have a negative impact on everyday numeracy and mathematical learning. Here, we evaluated the efficacy of the adaptive (non-commercial) computerized game “The Number Race” in improving basic numerical skills in children with DS. The experimental group (EG; N = 30, Mage-in-months 118, range 70–149) completed a training playing with “The Number Race”, whereas children in the control group (CG; N = 31, Mage-in-months 138, range 76–207) worked with software aiming at improving their reading skills. The training lasted 10 weeks with two weekly sessions of 20–30 min each. We assessed both groups’ numerical and reading skills before and immediately after the end of the training, as well as at a 3-months follow-up. We found weak evidence for post-training groups differences in terms of overall numeracy score. However, the EG displayed substantial improvements in specific numerical skills and in mental calculation, which were maintained over time, and no improvement in reading. Conversely, the CG showed improvements in their reading skills as well as in number skills but to a lesser extent compared to the EG. Overall, “The Number Race” appears as a suitable tool to improve some aspects of numeracy in DS.

Electrophysiological Signatures of Numerosity Encoding in a Delayed Match-to-Sample Task

“…Similar reasoning applies to the a match-to-sample paradigm as a measure of basic numerosity processing, which could partially diverge from acuity measures more commonly derived from comparison and estimation tasks. Notably, previous associations between performance in a similar computerized task and several tests of numerical competence have been reported in typically developing children and children with Down syndrome (Sella et al, 2013(Sella et al, , 2021.…”

Evaluating performance on a bespoke maths game with children with Down syndrome

“…Individual graph profiles reveal some instability in responding with peaks in their performance at different times. Others have noted disengagement when skills have been accomplished (Wishart & Duffy, 1990) and in the number race when bored (Sella et al, 2021; Wilson et al, 2006). Serious games therefore have to hit the optimum level of challenge together with engaging sustained attention.…”

“…A longer intervention period might have led to more learning (Sella et al, 2021) but was limited by access to pupils. While three visits a week were planned, all but two pupils had absences, due to ill health, day trips out, or sports fixtures and their sessions were re‐scheduled.…”

“…More recently Sella et al (2021) report on an experimental study using the mainstream game “The Number Race” with 30 children with DS, and a similar size control group who worked with software designed to improve reading skills. The experimental group showed improvements in several but not all number tasks at the end of 20 weeks of training.…”

“…The experimental group showed improvements in several but not all number tasks at the end of 20 weeks of training. Sella et al (2021) conclude on the advantages of targeting a single skill rather than the many which were addressed in the number race. The authors illustrate how the number race programme has a differential impact on two children with DS depending on individual strengths and difficulties and their starting points (Onnivello et al, 2019).…”