Many factors influence children’s performance in mathematical achievement, including both domainspecific
and domain-general factors. This study aimed to verify and compare the effects of two types
of training on early numerical skills. One type of training focused on the enhancement of working
memory, a domain-general precursor, while the other focused on the enhancement of early numeracy,
a domain-specific precursor. The participants were 48 five-year-old preschool children. Both the
working memory and early numeracy training programs were implemented for 5 weeks. The results
showed that the early numeracy intervention specifically improved early numeracy abilities in preschool
children, whereas working memory intervention improved not only working memory abilities
but also early numeracy abilities. These findings stress the importance of performing activities
designed to train working memory abilities, in addition to activities aimed to enhance more specific
skills, in the early prevention of learning difficulties during preschool years.
