Abstract
The aim of the present paper is the study of the strategies related to spatial structuring ability by early school children and the possibilities of improving these strategies in the school settings. Initially we aimed to identify the types of strategies that children used when they dealt with spatial tasks. Next we tried to explore possible ways to support children throughout the process of spatial structuring ability. For this purpose, we designed two experiments and a teaching intervention. In the first experiment we found that, according their complexity, the strategies developed by children dealing with spatial tasks could be classified in five types. With the teaching intervention we found that children could be supported in the process of building spatial thought in two ways. a) The previous experience and the width of available repertory of strategies b) The use of specialized tasks that children tackle collaboratively in a rich learning environment that support these tasks.
Strategies in Early Spatial Reasoning