Study On The Development Of Mathematics Ability Of Children With Intellectual Disability In Primary School And Its Correlated Factors

Mathematic ability is an important part in school education, and it also plays a key role in helping children have better life. Therefore, this study aim at to propel the development of children’s mathematical ability, explore the correlated factors, and build the prediction model of mathematical ability of primary school children with intellectual disability.In this study, mathematical ability composed of three parts:Pre-concept of Number, Number, Digits and Calculation, Geometry and Figure. The early mathematic ability scale developed by the University of Purdue was used to measure the early mathematic ability of 90 children with intellectual disability from primary school. The results indicated that:In total, the scoring rate of mathematic ability of primary school children with intellectual disability was 0.68. Besides, the development of number pre-conceptual ability was the best, Geometry and Figure was the second, and Number, Digits and Calculation was the worst. In addition, the scoring rate of children with mild and moderate intellectual disability was above 0.6, except children with severe intellectual disability.In Pre-concept number:scoring rate was above 0.8. In addition, the development of concept of addition was the best, the equivalent of the concept was the worst. In lower grade(gradel-2), only the scoring rate of the number of comparisons reached 0.6.In middle grade(grade3-4). the scoring rate of the number of comparisons and the concept of addition was above 0.8, the equivalent of the concept was still lower than 0.6.In Number. Digits and Calculation:scoring rate was 0.42. The development of digital and computing symbols was the best,5-20 addition and subtraction operation was the worst. In lower grade, only the scoring rate of recognizing digital reached 0.6; In middle grade, the scoring of the ability of recognizing digital, digital sorting, equally matching, compare the size and the operator symbols were above 0.7.However, the ability of counting, addition and subtraction within 5 were relatively weak, especially problem solution, addition and subtraction of 5-20.In Geometry and Figure:scoring rate was 0.68. The development of direction/spatial was the best, the order/position was the worst. In lower grade, only the scoring rate of the direction/space was 0.6. In middle grade, the scoring rate of Geometry and Figure was above 0.6.There existed a negative correlation between mathematic ability and the degree of disability, and positive correlations between mathematic ability and grade, memory span and executive function. In addition, the degree of disability, grade and executive function can directly predict the mathematical ability of student with intellectual disability. But memory span cannot directly affect the mathematical ability.