Relating metacognition and executive functions to early mathematical and language skills in children aged 4-5 years

Metacognition plays an important role in the development of young children. Recent studies have found that metacognition and executive function are independent but closely related. In this study, 55 children aged 4-5 years were selected as subjects, and a short-term longitudinal design was used to analyze the relationships among metacognition, executive functions, early mathematical skills and early language skills. The results showed that metacognitive skills could predict executive functions after 5 months, and metacognition and executive functions could predict early mathematical skills and early language skills. Working memory played a fully mediating role in the prediction of metacognitive monitoring of early language skills. That is, early metacognitive performance could promote the development of executive functions, which could explain the mechanism in the prediction of metacognition in early language skills. These findings are the development and supplementation of existing empirical and theoretical studies and inspire the development of preschool education activities.