Learning and cognitive development

Abstract

For decades an explanation for failure in schooling in the first grades has been the concern of researchers. In Brazil it was only in the 80s that studies have been undertaken so that a link between learning difficulties and performance in Piaget’s operational tests could be found. Results of these studies may be grouped in three categories: a) studies indicating a strict relationship among variables; b) studies that show certain difficulties in nonconservative children in reading and writing and in mathematics; c) studies that state that results of Piaget’s tests do not have any relationship with success in reading and writing and in mathematics. Interest in the present analysis is due to these controversial results. Its aim is to verify whether there exist significant differences at operational level among children who have a good or bad class performance. Two hundred 6 to 10 year-old children from the first two lower grades of four public schools in Maringá, Paraná, Brazil, took part in the research. Children sat for Raven’s Progressive Matrixes Test and Stein’s Class Performance Test. Four groups of 15 children each were formed according to results, combining the grade (first or second) with class performance (good or bad). Groups were compared with regard to performance in five Piaget’s tests (classification, class inclusion, mass conservation, length conservation and mental image). Results show that there were no considerable differences among grade groups at operational level. It may be concluded that schools have not benefited from the knowledge of stages in the construction of cognitive competence towards the practice of significant learning.