Cognitive Profile of Students with Learning Difficulties in Reading and Mathematics

Main Article Content

Luciana Vellinho Corso
Beatriz Vargas Dorneles

Abstract

The co-occurrence of difficulties in reading and mathematics is frequent, indicating that common cognitive skills underlying these difficulties may be impaired. The study aims to analyse the cognitive abilities which are in the basis of acquisition of both reading and mathematics skills contributing to the educational practice in these areas. This is a cross-sectional, quantitative study that identified cognitive functions of 79 students from 3rd to 6th grade of elementary school. The students were divided into four groups: difficulties in reading, in mathematics, in both areas and the control group. We assessed the cognitive profile of the students through tasks in volving: phonological processing, number sense, working memory, counting strategies and arithmetic fact retrieval. Each group showed a unique cognitive profile indicating different educational needs. The results urge attention to the importance of the stimulation of phonological processing and number sense, abilities which are still unknown by Brazilian schools.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Article Details

Section
Psychology and Education
Author Biography

Beatriz Vargas Dorneles, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul

 

 

References

Andersson, U.; & Lyxell, B. (2007).Working memory deficit in children with mathematical difficulties: A general or specific deficit? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 96(3), 197-228.

Ashkenazi, S., Black, J.M., Black, D.A., Hoeft, F., & Menon, V. (2013).Neurobiological Underpinnings of Math and Reading Learning Disabilities. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46 (6), 549-569.

Baddeley, A.D., & Hitch, G.J. Working memory. (1974). In: G.H. BOWER. (Ed.). The psychology of learning and motivation. (pp 47-91). London: Academic Press.

Cardoso-Martins, C., & Pennington, B. (2001). Qual é a contribuição da nomeação seriada rápida para a habilidade de leitura e escrita? Evidência de crianças e adolescentes com e sem dificuldades de leitura. Psicologia Reflexão e Crítica, 14(2), p.387-397.

Geary, D.C., Hamson, C.O., & Hoard, M.K. (2000). Numerical and arithmetical cognition: a longitudinal study of process and concept deficits in children with learning disabilities. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 77, 236-263.

Gersten, R., Jordan, N., & Flojo, J. (2005). Early Identification and Interventions for Students with Mathematics Difficulties. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 38(4), 293-304.

Golbert, C.S. (1988). A Evolução Psicolingüística e Suas Implicações na Alfabetização: teoria, avaliação, reflexões. Porto Alegre: Artmed.

Hecht, S., Torgesen, J., Wagner, R., et al. (2001). The Relations Between Phonological Processing Abilities and Emerging Individual Differences in Mathematical Computation Skills: a longitudinal study from second to fifth grades. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 79, 192-227.

Hopkins, S. L., & Lawson, M. J.(2006). The effect counting speed has on developing a reliance on retrieval in basic addition. Contemporary Educational Psychology,31, 208-227.

Mclean, J. F., & Hitch, G. J. (1999). Working Memory Impairments in Children with Specific Arithmetic Learning Difficulties. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 74, 240-260.

Moojen, S.,Lamprecht, R., Santos, R. et al. (2003).CONFIAS- Consciência Fonológica: instrumento de avaliação seqüencial. São Paulo: Casa do Psicólogo.

Murphy, M.M., Mazzocco, M.M.M.,Hanich, L.B., & Early, M.C. (2007). Cognitive Characteristics of Children with Mathematics Learning Disability (MLD) Vary as a Function of the Cutoff Criterion Used to Define MLD. Journal of Learning Disabilities,40 (5),458-478.

Okamoto, Y., & Case, R. (1996). Exploring the Microstructure of Children’s Central Conceptual Structures in the Domain of Number. Monographs of the Society for Research in Child Development, Chicago, 61, 27-59.

Orrantia, J., Martinez, J.,Morán, M. et al. Dificultades en el Aprendizaje de la Aritmética: um analisis desde los modelos cronométricos. Cognitiva, 14(2), 183-201.

Shaywitz, S. (2006). Entendendo a Dislexia. Porto Alegre: Artmed.

Stein, L. (1994).TDE – Teste de Desempenho Escolar: manual para a aplicação e interpretação. São Paulo: Casa do Psicólogo.

Swanson, H. L. (1999). Reading comprehension and working memory in learning disabled readers: Is the phonological loop more important than the executive system? Journal of Experimental Child Psychology,72, 1-31.

Yuill, N., Oakhill, J.,Parkin, A. (1989).Working Memory, Comprehension Ability and the Resolution of Text Anomaly. British Journal of Psychology, 80, 351-361.

Willcut, E.G.,Petrill, S.A.,Wu, S., et al. (2013).Comorbidity between reading disability and math disability: concurrent psychopathology, functional impairment, and neuropsychological functioning. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 46(6), 500-516.