Effects of a Cognitive Acceleration Programme on Year 1 pupils (Updated)

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How was the research designed?

The intervention was structured to test the main hypothesis that it was possible to accelerate the cognitive development of young children through an intervention program. The authors used a quasi-experimental design containing the following features:

pre-tests of cognitive development carried out near the start of the school year, i.e. just before the intervention started;
a cognitive acceleration programme implemented in 14 classes in 10 schools;
a control group of 206 children and 8 teachers; and
a post-test of cognitive development carried out after the intervention and near the end of the school year.

All Year 1 children in ten experimental and five control schools were tested. As far as possible the researchers designed the programme so that the populations in the two groups were similar with regard to demographic and social background as measured by free school meals. Whilst they also made every effort to ensure the two groups were similar in ethnicity, the control group contained proportionately more White and fewer Black Caribbean or Black African children.

Baseline testing also allowed the researchers to compare the starting level of achievement of each group as judged by their teachers. The researchers were satisfied that there was no difference between intervention and control schools.

It is the authors’ intention to test further the impact of the intervention when the study population are assessed in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2.

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Research Home Themes \| Find digests \| About the digests resources glossary researchers contact TRIPS Introduction What did the research show? What is cognitive intervention all about? How was the research designed? What were the main components of the programme? What were the characteristic features of the activities used in the project? What happened in a classroom activity? How did the pupils benefit? How were the teachers prepared for the intervention? Which tests were used on the pupils? Implications Where can I find out more? Send us your feedback Collated digests To view/remove/add notes and save your collated digests click here Get Word Reader Effects of a Cognitive Acceleration Programme on Year 1 pupils (Updated) This digest found in Thinking skills Send to a friend Word doc 100KB Printer friendly Collate for later How was the research designed? The intervention was structured to test the main hypothesis that it was possible to accelerate the cognitive development of young children through an intervention program. The authors used a quasi-experimental design containing the following features: pre-tests of cognitive development carried out near the start of the school year, i.e. just before the intervention started; a cognitive acceleration programme implemented in 14 classes in 10 schools; a control group of 206 children and 8 teachers; and a post-test of cognitive development carried out after the intervention and near the end of the school year. All Year 1 children in ten experimental and five control schools were tested. As far as possible the researchers designed the programme so that the populations in the two groups were similar with regard to demographic and social background as measured by free school meals. Whilst they also made every effort to ensure the two groups were similar in ethnicity, the control group contained proportionately more White and fewer Black Caribbean or Black African children. Baseline testing also allowed the researchers to compare the starting level of achievement of each group as judged by their teachers. The researchers were satisfied that there was no difference between intervention and control schools. It is the authors’ intention to test further the impact of the intervention when the study population are assessed in the national tests at the end of Key Stage 2.