LEARNING PROCESSES IN CHILDHOOD: A study on school performance and intelligence levels

Abstract

The learning process involves complex variables that can be discussed from the most diverse perspectives. Difficulties faced on this path are commonly attributed, by parents and teachers, to behavioral problems, inattention, neglect of studies, among others. However, clinical diagnostic practice in cases of school complaints often identifies that children have a good intellectual level, even with unsatisfactory school performance. Thus, the objective of this study was to relate school performance with the level of intelligence in students from a public elementary school unit. It was a quantitative, exploratory and cross-sectional research, which included a sample of 180 children with ages between 7 years and 11 years and 11 months, from elementary school at a public school in the Greater ABC-SP region. The School Performance Test (TDE) and the Non-verbal Intelligence Test (R2) were used as instruments, applied collectively. The results indicate that around 85% of children presented low academic performance, while 81% of children obtained scores at or above average in terms of intelligence level. These data indicate that, despite being intelligent, their academic performance was compromised. The results articulated the environment, social, political, economic factors and the institution itself as fundamental factors of this problem. In this way, it is possible to reflect that in the learning processes we do not only consider levels of intelligence, organic factors or intellectual deficits, but a look at the institution and the uniqueness of these children whose academic performance is impaired and, therefore, present severe learning difficulties.