The Relationship Between Basic Cognitive Skills and Math Learning Disabilities in The First Grade

Abstract

This study investigates the relationship between five basic cognitive skills related to math lessons in Grade 1 of basic education: mathematical, numerical, analytical, classification, and measuring skills. The study will focus on three provinces of Kurdistan (Erbil, Sulaymani, and Halabja) and uses the descriptive method. Measuring phenomena depends on the criterion-referenced test. A specified grade is made to the criterion Reference that each participant can reach that grade. The study's results illustrated poor cognitive skills and learning difficulties in mathematics. Furthermore, 233 of 384 participants (60.68%) have poor cognitive skills in mathematics and a learning disability in the subject. The results indicate poor cognitive skills and significant gender differences between males and females. No statistically-significant differences were found in cognitive skills between provinces.