Promoting spatial ability and spatial intelligence in children

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Promoting spatial ability and spatial intelligence in children

The ability to see an object or picture as a set of parts and then to construct a replica of the original from these parts is known as visuospatial constructive cognition.

Examples of visuospatial construction include drawing, buttoning shirts, constructing models, making a bed, or for example putting together furniture that arrives unassembled. Visuospatial construction is a central cognitive ability. At the same time, there are enormous individual differences among people in their ability to perform visuospatial constructive tasks. The importance of visuospatial construction for everyday life, has led to the inclusion of measures of visuospatial construction on virtually every full-scale assessment of intelligence.

The spatial ability and intelligence has commonly been associated with art, its importance in mathematics and science cannot be underestimated. In  2005, it was also reported  that young mathematically gifted children's representations used to help solve mathematical tasks are more structured and involve dynamic imagery; whereas low achieving students' representations tend to show little or no underlying structure and only use static images.

There are two keyways to promote the development of spatial in children:

1.      The parents and school should provide young children opportunities to develop and express spatial intelligence in informal and formal learning environments. They also should provide Children the required instruction in the use of two- and three-dimensional spatial representations, using and playing together with construction games and explaining how it works.

2.      Early identification, so it could be nurtured because these children have the potential to contribute new knowledge in mathematics and science for the benefit of society.