Teaching Mathematics through art

In Hungarian public education, one of the major challenges is to support students challenged with social disadvantages, learning deficits and mental and behavioural problems. The mission of an interdisciplinary team of teachers of Visual Arts Education and Mathematics is to use the power of the arts for opening creative channels in students to arrive at the deeper understanding visually. Our intervention addressed negative attitudes to learning and verbalisation in knowledge production. We exploited the role of arts for visualising knowledge acquisition and overcoming barriers between scientific and artistic domains. Thirty students of Grade 5 of the compulsory elementary school (average age: 10.7 years), previously diagnosed with special needs (ADHD and ADD), participated in a three-semester remedial programme of four, 60-90 minutes, after regular instructions. The theoretical foundation of our interdisciplinary pedagogy was the Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) education model. Intersecting areas of Mathematics and Visual Culture were identified in space and plane geometry and incorporated in collaborative projects. We employed a variety of scientific visualisation techniques for Mathematics instruction (e.g., infographic design and interpretation, modelling of geometric rules and phenomena in 3D) and incorporated in creative tasks. Visual competence was assessed through standardised spatial skills tests and a process-oriented portfolio method, and significant development of visual language use was detected. Improvement in Mathematics was assessed through standardised national tests that revealed impressive growth. This chapter ends with policy implications of the use of arts-based methods to enhance cognitive abilities of students with social, behavioural and learning challenges. © 2024 selection and editorial matter, Andrea Kárpáti.