Psicologia Escolar e Educacional
ISSN 1413-8557
ROSSIT, Rosana Aparecida Salvador GOYOS, Celso. Mental retardation and acquisition of mathematics: curriculum as a conditional relation network. Psicol. esc. educ. []. 2009, 13, 2, pp.213-225. ISSN 1413-8557.
In this study we analyze the acquisition of mathematics relation and present the curriculum based on stimulus equivalence paradigm to teach people with mental retardation how to deal with money. We worked with 11 people with mental retardation, with ages from 09 to 32 years old, both genders, who attended a Special Education School. Stimuli were dictated words, printed numerals, coin and bill pictures, numerals with a plus sign between them, coin sets, coins and bills together, printed prices, actual coins and bills. Four studies were conducted to teach several distinct relations. Teaching procedure was conducted using a computer program named Master. Results showed the efficacy of the curriculum based on a relational network and the procedures used, by the emergence of complex skill acquisition in a reduced period of time. A complex and large mathematics relational network was taught through direct training of few relations.
: Mathematics; Curriculum; Mentally retarded.