Effect of mindfulness on metacognitive skills and mathematics achievement of students with difficulties in mathematics in relation to intelligence and gender

Abstract

Formal learning of mathematics is often far away from the smooth process of learning and understanding (Ginsberg, 2011). The data shows that in Punjab on an average, 50% children in grade 3 and grade 5 cannot do basic arithmetic (Annual Status of Education Report, 2014). The ASER for 2015 report of Punjab clearly stated that there is a need to build and strengthen the strategies to improve arithmetic skills as children remain far below the expected level. Metacognitive skills are important organizers of all the tasks that we perform. In this study, Mindfulness has been chosen as a focal point of research because of its relevance as an emerging technique of intervention to improve the metacognitive skills and mathematics achievement in relation to intelligence and gender. The sample for the study consisted of students in the age group of 8-12 years. The eight-weeks long mindfulness intervention was provided to students in the experiment group. Independent sample t-test, ANOVA and MANOVA was employed to study and compare the effect of mindfulness intervention on the scores of mindfulness, meta-cognitive skills, and mathematics achievement having difficulties in mathematics in relation to intelligence and gender. The study yields the following significant results: 1) There exists significant effect of mindfulness-based intervention on the linear combination of metacognitive skills and mathematics achievement.2) There exists significant interaction effect of mindfulness and intelligence on linear combination of metacognitive skills and mathematics achievement.3) There exists significant interaction effect of mindfulness and intelligence on mathematics achievement. newline