AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF VISUAL-SPATIAL DIFFICULTIES ON LEARNING GEOMETRY

  • Sridhar Nagubandi

Student thesis: PhD

Abstract

This thesis reports the findings of my study of students with visual-spatial deficits in my specialist school in the city of New York. It is comprised of a pilot study, mathematical interviews, and interventions with students and teachers. This study is qualitative and primarily uses case studies to explain the interventions with both the students and the teachers. The study is made up of interventions with two students, and interventions with several teachers who work in my specialist K-12 school which includes both primary and secondary school teachers. Since very little research has been conducted in this field to this point, the findings presented in this thesis aim to give teachers, especially secondary school mathematics teachers, an understanding of the challenges that secondary school students with visual-spatial deficits face when they are learning mathematics. In addition, this research also discusses intervention sessions that I conducted with teachers that gives some insights into educating secondary school mathematics teachers about mathematics learning disabilities and their impact on the students that they teach. The main findings of this research are that there are effective interventions for both students and teachers that help students with visual-spatial deficits learn mathematics. A successful theme that has emerged is centring which helps students to start questions that they find challenging, and also focus their attention on obtaining a solution. It can sometimes lead to a greater understanding of mathematics as well.
Date of Award2018
Original languageEnglish
Awarding Institution
  • University of Plymouth
SupervisorEdward Graham (Other Supervisor)

Keywords

  • Visual-spatial
  • Visuospatial
  • Visual spatial deficits
  • Intervention
  • Mathematics learning disabilities
  • MLD

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