Effectiveness of an educational neuroscience-based curriculum to improve academic achievement of elementary students with mathematics learning disabilities

Abstract

Despite having moderate to high intelligence, being in an appropriate educational setting, lacking significant biological impairments and acute social and psychological problems, they are not able to learn subjects in specific areas (reading, writing, calculating).1 In a recent study by Ismail et al, the overall prevalence of learning disorders among first to sixth grade students was 16.5%, and writing, reading, and mathematics learning disorders were reported to be 12.5%, 11.2%, and 10.5%, respectively.2 The most important features of children with mathematical learning disorders are difficulties in learning and remembering mathematical concepts. Accompanying important characteristics are difficulty in computing, insufficient problem solving strategies, excessive time spent finding solutions, and high error rates in performing mathematical calculations.3 Various studies have identified several elements of children's characteristics, family aspects, and social environment as major contributing factors in the formation of childhood disorders and their lack of academic achievement.1-5 Recent advances in brain science and research have led to a wave of new insights into neural mechanisms underlying learning, memory, growth, thinking, excitement, and motivation, and have led many researchers to use neuroscience findings to improve thinking and educational policies. [...]the prevailing view is that neuroscience has the potential to be a valuable source of information for educational thinking and practice. Many teachers, policymakers, and scholars believe that neuroscience provides us with information highly relevant to education, and therefore, as this amount of information increases, educational science is required to pay attention to it.16 The quantity of research done in educational neuroscience in classrooms reflects the fact that educational neuroscience has been effective in improving students' learning.17-22 Therefore, in accordance with the above mentioned points, as well as research showing poor academic performance among children with learning disabilities in mathematics, this study evaluates the effectiveness of using an educational neuroscience approach in supporting academic achievement of students with mathematics learning disabilities.