The aim of this study was to investigate whether early numeracy skills of South African first graders who are at-risk for mathematical learning difficulties can be improved with an intervention program. The participants were 267 children from 17 classrooms in the greater Johannesburg area. In this quasi-experimental small group intervention study (15 sessions over 5 weeks) the outcome measure was early numeracy skills. Based on pretest early numeracy scores, the children were divided into an intervention group (N = 40), a low performing control group (N = 32), and an average performing control group (N = 195). The main result was that the intervention group had improved more in numerical relational skills, compared to low-controls; this effect remained statistically significant after controlling for executive functions, language skills and kindergarten attendance, and was also observable in the delayed post-measurement. Executive functions, language skills and kindergarten attendance all predicted the level of early numeracy skills at the beginning of the intervention, but only executive functions explained individual differences in counting skills development from pre- to delayed posttest.

这项研究的目的是调查是否可以通过干预计划来提高面临数学学习困难风险的南非一年级学生的早期计算能力。参与者是来自大约翰内斯堡地区17个教室的267名儿童。在这项准实验小组干预研究中（5周内进行15次练习），结果指标是早期的计算能力。根据测试前的早期计算能力分数，将儿童分为干预组（N = 40），低表现对照组（N = 32）和平均表现对照组（N = 195）。主要结果是，与低对照组相比，干预组的数字关系技能得到了更大的提高。控制执行功能后，该效果在统计上仍然很显着，语言技能和幼儿园出勤率，并且在延迟的后测中也可以观察到。执行功能，语言技能和幼儿园出勤率都可以预测干预开始时的早期计算能力水平，但只有执行功能可以解释从测验前到延迟测验的技能发展方面的个体差异。