Neuropsychological assessment and learning mathematics in basic education

Abstract

The aim of this investigation was to describe the relationship between mathematical concepts and cognitive processes of visual memory, perception, attention and spatial skills in children in fifth and sixth grade of primary education. A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional and prospective study with 42 children in fifth and sixth grade of official schools from Xalapa, Veracruz was performed: 21 boys and 21 girls, mean age ten years nine months (SD ± 10 months). Child neuropsychological assessment (ENI) was applied to evaluate mathematical concepts, perception, attention, memory, spatial skills and Wechsler Intelligence Scale (WISC-IV) for the IQ. The higher performance corresponded to the subscales of reasoning with 71% and counting with 69% of children scored higher. In the cognitive processes assessed, had high scores: 93% in visual perception, 74% in visual memory and 64% in spatial skills. In visual attention 55% scored low scores. Significant differences at p < .05 were observed, when comparing numerical management with visual attention and spatial skills; also comparing count with spatial skills and calculation with visual attention.