Materials and tests

BVS-Corsi is a battery of psychometric tests designed to assess the different components of visual and spatial memory in children. The first version was published in 2008 by Erickson. The main authors are Irene Cristina Mammarella, Cristina Toso, Francesca Pazzaglia, and Cesare Cornoldi. In 2023, an updated version called BVS-Corsi-2 was published, curated by Irene Cristina Mammarella, Francesca Neele Stefani, David Giofrè, and Cristina Toso.

This battery is used to evaluate visuospatial working memory in children aged 8 to 12. It includes the Corsi test and 12 additional tasks, divided into passive and active memory, which differ in the level of stimulus processing.

This battery is a useful tool for professionals involved in the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders, especially for identifying specific difficulties in visuospatial memory.

AC-MT 3 – 6-14 years. Clinical Assessment Tests is a battery of psychometric tests developed to assess calculation skills and mathematical reasoning in children and adolescents aged 6 to 14. Published in 2020 by Erickson, it was created by Cesare Cornoldi, Irene Cristina Mammarella, and Sara Caviola.

This updated version of previous AC-MT tests is intended exclusively for clinical use. The tests are designed to identify specific mathematical difficulties from first grade of primary school to third grade of lower secondary school, as part of the evaluation for Specific Learning Disorders (SLD).
The tests are divided into:

• Basic tests: provide the initial assessment and focus on essential math skills, evaluating accuracy and response time;
• Timed tests: complete the skills profile with a focus on numerical and logical-mathematical components.

AC-MT 3 is a fundamental tool for clinicians needing a detailed assessment of mathematical skills, useful for both diagnosis and intervention planning.

GeometriaTest – Assessment Tests for Primary and Lower Secondary School was published in 2012 by Erickson, as part of the series “Tests and Tools for Psychological and Educational Assessment.” The authors are Irene C. Mammarella, Marta Todeschini, Germana Englaro, Daniela Lucangeli, and Cesare Cornoldi.

This tool was designed to assess students’ geometry skills through three main subtests:

1. Geometrical knowledge: it assesses specific vocabulary, formulas, and properties of geometric figures.
2. Geometry problems: it includes procedural and strategic exercises to measure the ability to apply knowledge and problem-solving strategies.
3. Visuospatial skills: it assesses spatial perception and manipulation skills, fundamental for learning geometry.

The tests are divided by school level, from second grade of primary school to third grade of lower secondary school, and can be administered individually or to entire classes.

Overcoming Math Anxiety – Intervention Program for Grades 3, 4, and 5 of Primary School is an intervention program designed by Cristina Toso, Sara Sandri, Mirco Meneghel, and Irene Cristina Mammarella, published in the “Materials / Psychology” series by Erickson Advantages. Aimed at grades 3 to 5 of primary school, this book is an innovative prevention tool to combat math anxiety. Its main goal is to promote a more positive emotional climate among students, thereby enhancing learning and well-being.

Intervention for Socio-Relational Difficulties – A Cognitive-Behavioral Program for Social Skills in Children with Autism, ADHD, and Other Disorders is a practical book by Chiara Salviato, Irene Cristina Mammarella, and Cesare Cornoldi, published in the “Materials / Psychology” series by Erickson Advantages. The book offers a structured cognitive-behavioral program to improve social-relational skills in children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism, ADHD, and nonverbal learning disorder. The program includes 12 core sessions and 4 specific sessions dedicated to different difficulty areas, providing a flexible and personalized approach.

Learning to Solve Geometry Problems is a book by Marta Todeschini, Irene Cristina Mammarella, Daniela Lucangeli, and Eugenia Maria Pellizzari, published in the “Cognitive Enhancement Programs in Numerical and Logical-Scientific Cognition” series by Erickson Advantages.

The book aims to enhance geometric problem-solving skills for students in the final two years of primary school and early lower secondary school. Using an integrated and complete approach, the program goes beyond simple formula application, offering reasoning exercises and real-world problems that foster genuine interest in geometry. It includes two progressive pathways for students aged 8 to 13, encouraging critical and logical-mathematical thinking.

“What a Spatial Memory!” is an educational software developed by Irene Cristina Mammarella, Cristina Toso, and Sara Caviola, published by Erickson. It is designed to enhance visuospatial memory in children, both at school and at home.

Like the software Visuospatial Working Memory and the BVS-Corsi battery, the program’s activities are divided into three main areas:

• Visual memory
• Sequential memory
• Simultaneous memory

Set in a colorful and imaginative space theme, children are invited to board a special spaceship. This is no ordinary mission: the goal is to enhance key everyday life skills such as recalling routes, recognizing objects, and navigating space through fun, intuitive games.

“Visuospatial Working Memory” is an educational software developed by Irene Cristina Mammarella, Cristina Toso, and Sara Caviola, published by Erickson. It is designed to enhance visuospatial working memory (VSWM) in children aged 8 and above. The program aims to:

• Improve visuospatial working memory
• Support children with difficulties in tasks requiring visuospatial memory
• Provide tools for teachers, educators, and therapists for targeted interventions

The software includes a variety of exercises divided into three main areas:

1. Visual memory: activities stimulating the ability to remember and recognize visual information
2. Sequential memory: exercises training the ability to memorize and reproduce stimulus sequences
3. Simultaneous memory: tasks requiring memorization of multiple items presented at the same time

Math Trainer, designed by Irene Mammarella, Sara Caviola, and Renzo Tucci, and published by Anastasis, is a specific treatment for difficulties in arithmetic aimed at systematically enhancing areas of arithmetic facts, mental calculation, and written calculation. Within the program, activities are ordered by difficulty level and presented in a self-adaptive mode, aiming to offer personalized learning based on the child’s existing skills. The app includes daily exercises on a computer or tablet, ranging from 15 to 20 minutes, tailored to the child’s characteristics such as attention span, age, and starting level.

Matemagica Grades 1-2-3 – Activities to Enhance Math Skills for Primary School is a book by Giulia Gerotto, Sara Sandri, Chiara Demo, and Irene Cristina Mammarella, published in the “Materials / Didactics” series by Erickson Advantages. It offers numerous activities to strengthen math skills in first to third grade, with a focus on arithmetic, calculation, and problem-solving.

With a comprehensive educational program using playful-mathematical activities and engaging settings, the book offers flexible tools adaptable to the developmental level of each student.

Working Memory in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. From Scientific Evidence to Clinical and Educational Applications (Franco Angeli, 2019) by Irene Cristina Mammarella, Ramona Cardillo, and Sara Caviola provides a comprehensive overview of working memory and executive functions in children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

Understanding Nonverbal Learning Disability: A Guide to Symptoms, Management and Treatment, by Irene C. Mammarella, Ramona Cardillo, and Jessica Broitman, published in 2021 by Routledge as part of the “Understanding Atypical Development” series.

This volume provides an evidence-based and accessible guide to Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD), now also referred to as Visuospatial Disorder. It integrates recent research and clinical/educational practices, offering insights, support, and practical advice for managing NVLD challenges in school and daily life.

The document “Math Anxiety. Educational Practices Series 31“, published in 2020 by the UNESCO International Bureau of Education and authored by Denes Szucs and Irene C. Mammarella, offers an in-depth look at math anxiety (MA), defined as a debilitating emotional response to math. It explores how math anxiety can affect not only school settings but also everyday life and adult functioning, and how it may be present even in high-achieving students, deterring them from pursuing math-related paths.

Mathematics Anxiety: What is Known and What is Still to be Understood, edited by Irene C. Mammarella, Sara Caviola, and Ann Dowker, was published in 2019 by Routledge. This pioneering volume explores the widespread phenomenon of math anxiety from theoretical, educational, and psychophysiological perspectives.

Nonverbal Learning Disabilities is a foundational work for understanding and addressing Nonverbal Learning Disability (NVLD), now also known as Visuospatial Disorder. Written by Cesare Cornoldi, Irene C. Mammarella, and Jodene Goldenring Fine, it was published in 2016 by The Guilford Press.

The volume provides an updated overview of NVLD, highlighting:

• The distinct features of NVLD and its differentiation from disorders such as autism and developmental coordination disorder
• Effective strategies to support students from elementary to secondary school, with practical examples
• Discussion of controversies surrounding NVLD classification and its absence from DSM and ICD systems
• Directions for future research in the field