Comparison of the Effectiveness of Brain-Based Learning Education and Multisensory Method on Working Memory of Third Grade Students with Dyscalculia

Abstract

The present study aimed to compare the effectiveness of brain-based and multi-sensory learning on the working memory of third-grade students with math disorders. The study followed an experimental design with a pre-test and post-test, with a control group. Forty-five third-grade students with math disorders were selected from Sabzevar Learning Disorders Center in the academic year of 2022 through purposeful and accessible sampling, and were randomly divided into three groups of equal size. The experimental groups received separate training in brain-based and multi-sensory learning, while the control group did not receive any training. The research tool was Danmin and Carpenter's Working Memory Scale (1983), and the data was analyzed through a repeated measures design with Benferroni's post hoc test. The results suggested a positive effect of both training methodologies on active memory. The effectiveness of the brain-based learning method was found to be superior to the multi-sensory training in both the post-test and follow-up periods (P<0.05). These findings suggest that both methods can be employed to address working memory difficulties in students with math learning disabilities.

Keywords

• brain-based learning
• multisensory method
• working memory
• dyscalculia