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Assessment of early mathematics thinking in mentally retarded children, using the TEMA-2

Written by M.ª Cristina Núñez Del Río e Isabel Lozano Guerra.

This study tries to outline the mathematical abilities of mentally retarded children and at the same time to offer didactics lines in order to faciltate the development of mathematical thinking. 579 normal children and 315 mentally retarded children were given the test TEMA-2 (Test of early mathematics ability; Ginsburg & Baroody, 1990). The results show that the mentally retarded children were delayed in the acquisition of counting ability and conventionalism. They were handicapped in concepts of magnitude relative, number facts, mental and written calculation and base-10 concepts. The discussion concerns about some didactics implications of these results. M.ª Cristina Núñez Del Río e Isabel Lozano Guerra. Key words: Mentally retarded children. Mathematical thinking. Formal and informal mathematics. Teaching mathematics. Buy