Enhancing mental maths in the primary setting through gamesbased learning (focussing on Nintendo DS and Dr Kawashima’s
Brain Training)
By Emma Barker
The birth of the project
Back in November 2009, I had a little bit of spare cash left in the ICT budget, so I
tentatively approached my Headteacher with a view to buying some Nintendo DS
Lites. I’d done a bit of research on using the handheld consoles in the classroom and
Twittered with a few practitioners already pioneering this type of work. To my delight,
I got the green light and bought ten consoles.
At about the same time I was trying to think of a suitable subject to study for my
second assignment as part of my MA in Professional Development. A sharp colleague
of mine suggested that I combine the two – a piece of action research on whether the
Nintendo DSs and Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training had any effect on the children’s
mental maths ability. This also fitted perfectly with our OfSTED recommendations
following a recent inspection.
Getting started
The use of ten Nintendo DS Lites with Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training software was
trialled at the school with a Year five cohort of thirty-three children ranging from nine
to ten years old. As the participants were also my own class, it was more manageable
to administer the trial and engage in the spontaneous reactions that often arose
during the research. The pupils took a four-minute baseline mental maths test using a
traditional pencil and method. The scores were recorded and stored for later
comparison. The class used the Nintendo DS Lites from January 2010 to March 2010
in order to help improve their quick mental maths.
When using the consoles for the first time, the children took around forty minutes to
complete a carousel-type set up. An initial group of ten children used the Nintendo DS
to complete the Quick Test setting, which consists of twenty questions ranging from
addition and subtraction to multiplication and division. Once they had completed the
test, they recorded their result and passed the DS onto a fellow classmate.
Preliminary times ranged from twenty seconds to over four minutes. It was important
to make the use of the consoles more manageable, with little flexibility in the primary
curriculum; forty-minutes of DS use at least three times a week was impractical.
Subsequently, following the initial use of the console, the children were then grouped
according to their times. Ten groups of children were prepared with recording sheets.
Children that were punctual were placed at the top of the list and independently
picked up a DS when entering the classroom at registration time. The rest of the
cohort carried on with a regular morning thinking task whilst the DS work took place.
Once a child finished their brain training, they recorded their time and passed the
console onto the next person on the list. Within a week, the whole research group of
thirty-three could complete the brain training within ten minutes and became totally
independent. The brain training was carried out three times a week (a daily test was
impossible due to timetabling constraints).
The children were initially excited at the prospect of using the consoles in class,
despite the fact that the majority used them in the home environment. There was a
clear atmosphere of competitiveness between each other and with themselves.
Phrases such as ‘I beat yesterday’s score’; ‘I’m now getting less than a minute’; ‘I’m
aiming for less than twenty seconds’ were frequently heard during the sessions. Pupils
were keen to share their DS screens with staff and fellow classmates acknowledging
that they had gone from ‘walking speed’ to ‘train speed’.
Issues
Potential problems with the recording system included the fact that some children are
less honest than others. As the pupils were carrying out their own assessment and
recording their individual times, it was very easy for them to falsify their results.
However, the cohort were extremely vigilant and concerned about ‘fairness’, anyone
trying to cheat the system found themselves caught in the cohort’s whistle-blowing
system (which organically grew throughout the research period) and subsequently
altered their results.
The research period highlighted one particular child’s reluctance to participate. During
the morning DS sessions it became apparent through the whistle blowing policy that
Child A was not recording some of their results on the recording sheets. This
behaviour led to more vigilant teacher observations during regular maths lessons and
analysis of assessments. It was clear that Child A had a barrier to learning during
numeracy and had self esteem issues. During other mental maths test, the pupil
would often copy answers and ‘hide behind’ peers. New intervention sessions were
subsequently inaugurated including a one-to-one tuition session.
Outcomes
During the research, an online questionnaire was completed by all of the participants.
The aim was to establish whether pupil perception of mental maths ability had
changed. Although 85% of children in the sample group had their own Nintendo DS
consoles at home, they were still excited to use the consoles in the school setting.
Their initial reaction to the project is summarised in the word cloud in figure 1.
Figure 1: Word cloud generated from the sample’s response to the question ‘What did
you think/how did you feel when we first got the Nintendo DSs in class?’. Repeated
words appear larger in the cloud.
The children felt happy and excited to use the consoles, they were surprised that the
school had invested in the ICT equipment, but considered it a fun way to learn; which
seems to support Prensky’s (2005) ‘engaged or enrage’ theory. The majority strongly
agreed that it was a good idea to have them in the class, those that did not want
them in class found maths challenging and others considered the cost implications
should the consoles get broken.
The children’s own perceptions of their mental maths ability were positive. They were
aware of their personal scores through the recording process and considered that they
were getting quicker at the test and receiving less penalties for incorrect answers.
Some referred to the training having an effect on other mental maths strategies in
class:
Yes I do [think I have improved] because since then I have done better in my daily
mental maths tests and because I have been getting better times in brain training so
it definitely has!
Confidence in mental maths seemed to change. One participant commented:
I have improved because I keep getting a better time and I also feel it is easier and I
feel I am doing better.
Others reported setting themselves personal goals and targets to achieve. Specifically,
one child recorded how their mental maths strategies had changed, in order to
become quicker:
I think it [mental maths] has [improved] because I used to add with my fingers but I
don't any more. Here is an example 9+5 when you add something on to 9 I counted
on my fingers but now I add 1 to make it 10 then I take one off 5 then add it on it is
very quick for me so I add 1 on then add 4 on the answer is 14.
Following the intervention the base-line maths test was repeated under test
conditions. They children had four minutes to complete a series of mental maths
questions using pencil and paper. Figures 2, 3 and 4 show the results of the initial
base-line test compared to the final results.
Figure 2: Graph showing Cohort 1 baseline test results before and after the Nintendo
DS intervention, together with % increase/decrease.
Figure 3: Graph showing Cohort 2 baseline test results before and after the Nintendo
DS intervention, together with % increase/decrease.
Figure 4: Graph showing Cohort 3 baseline test results before and after the Nintendo
DS intervention, together with % increase/decrease
The figures show a general improvement in the children’s mental maths. However,
one child (MW - Child B) showed a percentage decrease in their score. Analysing this
participant’s daily scores shows little improvement with times ranging from sixty-eight
seconds to one hundred and seventy-four seconds. Figure 5 shows a sample of daily
scores from Child B, which clearly indicates no pattern of improvement or consistency
with their results. Their questionnaire responses seem to mirror these results with an
underlining negativity towards mathematics. When asked whether they thought they
had improved, they responded unenthusiastically stating that their daily score showed
little improvement. Although the intervention seems to have had no positive effect on
Child B, it has highlighted potential weaknesses in their mathematically ability and
confidence levels in the area. These problems can now be addressed through the
personalised learning agenda, differentiation and other forms of intervention.
Figure 5: Sample of Child B’s daily scores.
Focus group set up
A small focus group was set up which included a good ratio of boys to girls and a
range of mathematical abilities from Level 2 to Level 5. Child A was also invited into
the group to further establish any other feelings towards to the research and their
mathematical ability. It is important to note that Child B was absent at the time of the
focus group session, but was an intended participant.
At the time of the focus group the second baseline test had been completed, but the
group did not formally know their score. I was present, but only participated by
settling the group and asking them to talk about their Nintendo DS experiences, I did
not enter into the discussion. The respondents were very positive about their
experience, stating that the consoles made them quicker, that they had improved
their times table knowledge. Child C referred to their daily mental maths quiz noting
that they had improved their scores here also, suggesting that they were applying
their knowledge in other areas.
Many children agreed that the quick test tried to trick them with questions such as 8 x
0, when they were fully aware that the answer was 0. Child D concurred that this
made you read the question properly. Other discussions included that the bright
screen was seen as attractive and using the stylus might improve handwriting. Child E
referred to the need to become faster, not like the panic felt in a test, but a need to
get better. Intriguingly, Child A, who was previously identified as having a barrier to
learning, stated that the Nintendos had ‘helped me’, that ‘I’ve not got any better at,
doing it faster…but I am better at my times tables’. However, it is hard to conclude
whether this was a true reaction or a willingness to fit in with the group, who
appeared to have largely positive experiences.
Conclusions
There was an overall percentage increase of 58% improvement in the mental maths
scores after the Nintendo DS intervention work. It is impossible to clarify that this was
simply due to Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training as other strategies such as times table
recitals and daily quick fire mental maths quizzes were also being used by the school.
However, the action research, in line with the original aims and similar studies in the
field, had a positive impact on the cohort, their perceptions of their own mental maths
and indeed their test results. Pupils were engaged with their learning and aware of
their achievements – there was a real buzz and excitement in the classroom whilst
using the consoles. If the Nintendos were not out when the children entered the
classroom, pupils would ask for them straight away – would they have been so keen
to get out pencil and paper for a mental maths test? The research has also highlighted
are two children who struggle with mental maths and have not benefited from
Nintendo DS use in the classroom. This has been one of the most useful outcomes for
myself, as I can now reflect on other strategies to help these children to overcome
their barriers to learning.
Prensky, M. (2005). "Engage me or enrage me" What today's learners demand.
EDUCAUSE Review. Retrieved January 7, 2010 from:
http://www.educause.edu/ir/library/pdf/erm0553.pdf
About the author
Emma Barker says:
I am a 32 year old class teacher from the north of England, currently teaching in Year
5 (9-10 year-olds). I've only been teaching for two-years after completing the
Graduate Teacher Programme. Previously, I was an assistant editor in a publishing
house. I am passionate about learning, children and ICT.
Twitter name @emmabarker