Data from: Closing the achievement gap through modification of neurocognitive and neuroendocrine function: results from a cluster randomized controlled trial of an innovative approach to the education of children in kindergarten

Effective early education is essential for academic achievement and positive life outcomes, particularly for children in poverty. Advances in neuroscience suggest that a focus on self-regulation in education can enhance children’s engagement in learning and establish beneficial academic trajectories in the early elementary grades. Here, we experimentally evaluate an innovative approach to the education of children in kindergarten that embeds support for self-regulation, particularly executive functions, into literacy, mathematics, and science learning activities. Results from a cluster randomized controlled trial involving 29 schools, 79 classrooms, and 759 children indicated positive effects on executive functions, reasoning ability, the control of attention, and levels of salivary cortisol and alpha amylase. Results also demonstrated improvements in reading, vocabulary, and mathematics at the end of kindergarten that increased into the first grade. A number of effects were specific to high-poverty schools, suggesting that a focus on executive functions and associated aspects of self-regulation in early elementary education holds promise for closing the achievement gap.卓有成效的早期教育对学业成就与积极人生结局至关重要，尤其惠及贫困家庭儿童。神经科学领域的研究进展表明，在教育中聚焦自我调控(self-regulation)能力的培养，可提升儿童的学习参与度，并在小学低年级阶段为其奠定有利的学业发展轨迹。本研究通过实验评估了一种面向幼儿园儿童的创新教育模式：该模式将自我调控支持训练，尤其是执行功能(executive functions)的培养，融入识字、数学与科学学习活动中。一项涵盖29所学校、79个班级与759名儿童的整群随机对照试验结果显示，该模式对执行功能、推理能力、注意力控制，以及唾液皮质醇与α-淀粉酶水平均产生了积极影响。研究同时证实，幼儿园结业时儿童在阅读、词汇与数学方面的表现得到改善，且该优势在一年级阶段进一步强化。多项干预效应仅在高贫困率学校中显著，这表明在小学低年级教育中聚焦执行功能及相关的自我调控能力培养，有望缩小学业成就差距。