Active Breaks and Math Performance in Elementary School: A Quasi-Experimental Study of Fifth-Grade Students
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56200/mentor.v5i4.12976Keywords:
Physical activity, Academic performance, Elementary education, Mathematics learning, Executive functions.Abstract
Low achievement in mathematics in elementary school calls for innovative teaching strategies that promote attention, working memory, and meaningful learning. In this context, active breaks are proposed as a brief intervention with the potential to improve academic performance. The objective of the study is to evaluate the effect of an active break program on academic performance in mathematics—specifically in number sequences, basic operations, and place value—among fifth-grade students in General Basic Education. A quantitative, quasi-experimental study was conducted using a pretest-posttest design with a control group. Sixty-two students from Guayaquil participated, divided into an experimental group and a control group, with 31 students in each. The intervention consisted of implementing active breaks during eight weeks of mathematics classes. A 10-item test validated by experts was used. The experimental group obtained higher scores in basic operations (4.03 vs. 3.19), place value (2.87 vs. 2.06), and overall performance (8.87 vs. 7.12), with significant differences (p < .001), although not in number sequence. Active breaks promote specific dimensions of mathematical learning and constitute a feasible, low-cost strategy applicable in elementary education.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Javier Gabriel Huacon Bueno, María Alexandra Villamar Macias , Ángel Freddy Rodríguez-Torres, Elizabeth Esther Vergel-Parejo
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