Abstract

Introduction: The relationship between executive functions and mathematical skills has been extensively studied. However, there is no consensus regarding the specific contribu-tion of working memory and planning in the development of early mathematical skills. The aim of this study was to determine the predictive capacity of these two executive domains on preschoolers’ mathematical skills. Method: A non-experimental ex post facto design was implemented with a sample of 104 Chilean children. The evaluation of their executive functions was performed with the “number inversion” task of the Woodcock-Muñoz IV Battery to assess verbal working memory, the “Clumsy Mole the Clumsy Mole” subtest of the TENI Child Neu-ropsychological Evaluation Test to assess visuospatial working memory, and the Porteus Maze Test to assess planning. To assess mathematical skills, the Test de Evaluación Matemática Tem-prana Utretch TEMT-U, Chilean version, was used. Descriptive analyses, correlations and multi-ple regression models were performed. Results: Verbal working memory followed by visuospa-tial working memory and planning were the best predictors of children’s mathematical skills. Conclusions: These results suggest that these executive functions play a key role in mathematics learning and provide specific information to educators so that they can plan their teaching strategies according to the cognitive demands required by each mathematical skill, which may be a potential way to promote better learning achievements in this important discipline.