Intervention in quantitative reasoning as a possibility to develop arithmetic knowledge

Abstract The low performance in mathematical abilities at the beginning of school life can lead to learning problems in the long term. Therefore, we highlight the importance of knowing the basic mathematical abilities that influence specifically the learning of arithmetic, so that it would be possible to indicate interventions focused on performance predicting abilities in this area and help the development of students’ mathematical knowledge, as well as teachers’ practice. In this sense, this study aimed to investigate the effects of an intervention in quantitative reasoning on the arithmetic performance of students from the 4th and 5th Grades of Elementary School. We separated 40 children into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participated in an intervention program focused on quantitative reasoning, organized in 7 sessions, twice a week, lasting 45 minutes each session. The control groups participated in sessions with mathematical games and mindfulness practices. The results indicated that the intervention showed no significant effect when comparing the performance of both groups. However, we found a significant improvement in the performance of 5th Grade students who participated in the experimental groups. The findings of this study help understand efficient instructional principles and highlight the importance of educational practices based on evidence.