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Children with mathematical difficulties (MD) often struggle to connect abstract numerical symbols with corresponding nonsymbolic quantities, a foundational skill for mathematical development. We evaluated a 4-week personalized cross-format number (CFN) tutoring program designed to strengthen these symbolic–nonsymbolic mappings in children with MD aged 7–10 years. CFN tutoring was associated with significant improvements in numerical and arithmetic fluency. Neural representational similarity (NRS) analysis revealed that deficient cross-format NRS in children with MD was normalized following tutoring, aligning with pre-tutoring levels of typically-developing (TD) peers. This normalization was most pronounced in parietal and parahippocampal regions known to support quantity and spatial representation. We observed a distinctive pattern of neural plasticity across groups—children with MD showed increased cross-format NRS following tutoring, while TD children showed a decrease—suggesting a nonlinear, skill-dependent plasticity. These findings underscore the need for developmentally tailored interventions to support children with MD through targeted, evidence-based strategies.
Details
Number Concepts;
Mathematics Skills;
Learning Problems;
Mathematics Education;
Mathematical Aptitude;
Brain;
Arithmetic;
Response to Intervention;
Skill Development;
Transfer of Training;
Child Development;
Tutorial Programs;
Number Systems;
Problem Solving;
Childhood Needs;
Cognitive Ability;
Schematic Studies
; Zhang, Yuan 1
; Schwartz, Flora 2 ; Iuculano, Teresa 3 ; Chang, Hyesang 1
; Menon, Vinod 4
1 Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA (ROR: https://ror.org/00f54p054) (GRID: grid.168010.e) (ISNI: 0000 0004 1936 8956)
2 CLLE, Université de Toulouse & CNRS, Toulouse, France (ROR: https://ror.org/004raaa70) (GRID: grid.508721.9) (ISNI: 0000 0001 2353 1689)
3 Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique & Université Paris Sorbonne, Paris, France (ROR: https://ror.org/02feahw73) (GRID: grid.4444.0) (ISNI: 0000 0001 2112 9282)
4 Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA (ROR: https://ror.org/00f54p054) (GRID: grid.168010.e) (ISNI: 0000 0004 1936 8956); Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA (ROR: https://ror.org/00f54p054) (GRID: grid.168010.e) (ISNI: 0000 0004 1936 8956); Stanford Neuroscience Institute, Stanford University, Stanford, California, CA, USA (ROR: https://ror.org/00f54p054) (GRID: grid.168010.e) (ISNI: 0000 0004 1936 8956); Symbolic Systems Program, Stanford University, Stanford, California, CA, USA (ROR: https://ror.org/00f54p054) (GRID: grid.168010.e) (ISNI: 0000 0004 1936 8956)