Abstract
This study aims to verify associations between the cardinality principle and family levels of schooling, household income levels, and the Índice de Desenvolvimento da Educação Básica (Ideb, in Brazil). The participants were students in their first year of elementary school at three public schools in Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul state. The data were analyzed through Fisher’s exact test to verify the independence among cardinality construction and the variables of schooling level, income level, and Ideb. The findings show that the construction of the cardinality principle cannot be explained well by household income or schooling levels. However, regarding Ideb, many individuals have been identified who demonstrated knowledge of the principle regardless of income level and schooling level. Therefore, it may be concluded that the school is a relevant space for the development of learning among children of different backgrounds, which thus reinforces its essential role in this process.
Keywords
Elementary school; Cardinality; Household income level; Family schooling level