Ana Lúcia Purper Thiele

Ana Lúcia Purper Thiele holds a Master degree in Science and Mathematics Education and is currently a PhD candidate in Science and Mathematics Education at the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, focusing on research in learning and mathematical cognition, with research interests in Mathematical Learning Disorder (MLD), particularly in Developmental Dyscalculia (DD). Currently, she is a CAPES scholarship holder for a Doctoral Sandwich Program at Lusófona University of Lisbon, Portugal. Her PhD project is titled “Implications of an Executive Function-Based intervention program for students with Developmental Dyscalculia”. 

Advisor: Isabel Cristina Lara (PUCRS – BRASIL)

Co-advisor: Lília Marcelino

• Mathematical Learning and Cognition
• Mathematics Learning Disorder (MLD)
• Developmental Dyscalculia (DD)

Abstract

In the school context, some students face persistent difficulties in understanding mathematical concepts, impacting their academic performance. This difficulty is characterized as a Specific Learning Disorder (SLD) known as Developmental Dyscalculia (DD). 

According to the DSM-5-TR (2022), Dyscalculia (F81.2) affects four fundamental areas of Mathematics, resulting in performance below what is expected for their age, even though the intelligence of these students is considered normal. The affected areas include number sense, memorization of basic numerical facts, precise and fluent calculation, and mathematical reasoning. Thus, the project "Implications of an Intervention Program Based on Executive Functions (EF) for Students with DD" aims to understand the impact of EF-based interventions on Brazilian and Portuguese students with DD. The specific objectives include: a) characterizing the cognitive profile of students with DD based on data collected through an assessment guide; b) analyzing skills related to EF through testing, such as Digit Span (WISC-III), Visuospatial Memory (Corsi Block Tapping Test), Fluid Intelligence (Raven’s Progressive Matrices), and Inhibitory Control (Stroop Test); c) identifying gaps in mathematical skills through tests: Initial Numerical Competence Test (Marcelino, 2015); School Performance Test – TDE II (Stein et al., 2019); d) analyzing students' performance during the development of interventions; and e) comparing mathematical performance before and after the EF-based intervention. 

This study adopts a mixed-methods approach (Creswell, 2010), combining quantitative and qualitative elements, including Single Subject Experimental Designs (SSEDs) (Janosky, 2005) to analyze changes in behavior and learning over time. Quantitative analysis will be performed using linear regression adapted for case studies (Stock; Watson, 2010). In Brazil, the scarcity of research on interventions that develop skills in students with DD highlights the urgent need for studies that create effective interventions. The absence of standardized tools makes it difficult to identify specific areas of difficulty and diagnose DD, compromising the identification of students' needs (Lara and Thiele, 2023). Intercultural analysis is therefore essential to explore diagnostic practices, assessment methods, and intervention strategies in different countries, allowing for a more adapted and efficient approach to treating DD. The comparison between the social and cultural contexts of Brazil and Portugal may contribute to the development of more effective and relevant interventions for students.