Playing games helps children learn math better

Researchers from Johns Hopkins University have found that simple games involving numbers can enhance a child's ability to learn math.

In a new study, researchers from Johns Hopkins University found that the senses could be adjusted to improve children's math learning. The researchers conducted experiments with 40 children aged 5 years.

In a five-minute computer game, they had the blue and yellow dots appear on the screen for a short period of time and asked the children to pick colors that were more numerous. But the appearance of colored dots will be so fast that the kids will not have time to count how many total. After each answer, there will be a voice announcing: "Yes" when the child chooses the right one or "Oh, sorry, this is not the correct answer" when the child chooses the wrong one.

The difficulty of the game is adjusted by the researchers for each different child. For example, some children start with easy choices, then the difficulty will be raised, while others from the beginning have been exposed to more difficult game versions. The third group is trying the game with difficult levels and easy to mix.

Simple intuition-related games of numbers can enhance math learning.(Photo: Alamy).

According to research, having to make decisions in just a few seconds will help children achieve higher scores in math tests.

Researchers explain that humans and animals are inherently available in the intuition of numbers and even babies already have that ability. For example, when two cakes are displayed in front of the baby, the baby will be sucked towards the plate with more cakes. This is based on the "approximate number system" (roughly translated as the cognitive system that allows people to estimate the size of a group without calculating or using language or symbols).

After this game, the kids continue to do math and vocabulary tests. While there is no change in language skills, children who play games from easy to difficult levels get higher scores on math tests with nearly 80% correct answers.

"Mathematical ability is not static, it is not in the case that if you study math now, you will study bad math for the rest of your life" , Jinjing "Jenny" Wang - a student of Johns Hopkins School to speak. "Your mathematical ability is not only easy to change but it can also change in a short time. We have used 5-minute games to change children's math skills , " Jinjing shared more.

During the test, the children were asked to count down, guess the sum of the numbers that were just heard, calculate the answers and write down the numbers. The children who participated in the experiment, who played the most difficult part right from the start, achieved a score of approximately 60%. The children participating in the game have a combination of two levels of difficulty and easy to achieve nearly 70% of the correct answers on the test.

Math ability is not static, it is not in the case that if you study math now, you will also learn bad math the rest of your life.(Photo: Alamy).

Researchers believe that by improving the child's agility in numbers according to an easy-to-difficult process, their math-learning skills will be temporarily improved . In the following research stages, they are investigating whether this game play can be used as a way to produce long-term results in children.

Lisa Feigenson, Professor of Psychology and Brain Science, and author of the study, said: "These findings emphasize the ability of " core awareness " to evolve through forms and backgrounds. platform for complex thoughts ".

"Our next thing is to answer the questions: whether rapid improvements in math skills exist only for a short period of time or may be long-term or can these games enhance Are all the possibilities of learning math for children? We are very excited to follow the answers to these questions. "