Relationship Between Executive Function And Calculating Capability Of Grade-two Students In 24 Points Games

To play is the nature of children. Therefore, in this study, we will introduce arithmetic games into the cognitive study of children, which is intended to ignite the calculating interest of children and find approaches to enhance children's efficiency in mathematics. In this study, based on previous researching models, measurement method and experimental method of teaching are adopted, and the author developed and designed the experimental program so as to probe into the prominent elements of executive function, such as inhibition, cognitive flexibility and working memory; the author also programmed 24 Points Game software, and summarized order strategy and reverse strategy in the game. After that, the author conducted teaching of such strategies in experimental classes, so as to find out the improvement of the students'calculating capabilities and executive functions. Main conclusions of this research are as follows:1. There is a great potential for the second-grade students to improve their executive functions since such functions are in the process of development.2. The 24 Points Game remarkably improves the frequency of correct calculation in mathematics, and such improvements are conspicuous among top students, middle-level students and backward students of the experimental class. However, the most remarkable improvement lies with backward students, who achieve significantly higher frequency of correct calculation than top students and middle-level students, and the post-test level shows that backward students are improved to middle-level students and the top students.3. The 24 Points Game remarkably improves working memory on experimental class, while the arithmetic training aslo can improve working memory on control class. That is mean, both 24 Points Game and orally arithmetic training can improve working memory. Furthermore, there has no difference between two classes on sub-ingredient of executive functions improvement.4. There is significant negative correlation between working memory and both calculating time and operating time of participants in 24 Points Game, which indicated that the better the working memory span, the faster the students will be in 24 Points Game.