ORCID
- Marija Živković: 0000-0003-3126-2903
Abstract
There is robust evidence for a causal association between spatial thinking and mathematics achievement. However, most research has been lab-based, with spatial training delivered by researchers. We present a teacher delivered, whole-class 6-week spatial training study that involved professional development for practitioners coupled with teacher-led LEGO® block construction training for 6- to 7-year-olds. Using a quasi-experimental design, N = 409 children completed the training and N = 103 children formed a business-as-usual control group. For spatial ability and mathematics, but not spatial language, children in the training condition showed improved performance relative to controls. This finding extends evidence of the positive effects of spatial training to an ecologically valid, classroom-based, practitioner-delivered context. The findings suggest that classroom opportunities to engage in block building using pictorial instruction are an effective activity for mathematics improvement. Our findings have implications for school curricula where spatial thinking is largely absent; a spatialized mathematics curriculum could raise children's mathematics attainment.
DOI Link
Publication Date
2025-01-01
Publication Title
Mind, Brain, and Education
Volume
19
Issue
3
ISSN
1751-2271
First Page
118
Last Page
129
Deposit Date
2026-05-01
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Additional Links
Recommended Citation
Farran, Emily K.; Gilligan-Lee, Katie A.; Mareschal, Denis; Živković, Marija; Bartušēvica, Santa; Bell, Derek; Jay, Tim; and Gilmore, Camilla, "Teacher Delivered Block Construction Training Improves Children's Mathematics Performance" (2025). Research Outputs: 2025-Present. 8.
https://arrow.tudublin.ie/engschelero/8