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Fiona Simmons: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Mathematics Difficulties
Fiona Simmons: Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and Mathematics Difficulties
mathematics difficulties
Dr Fiona Simmons
Liverpool John Moores University
f.r.simmons@ljmu.ac.uk
Overview
• The association between mathematics
difficulties and dyslexia
• The cognitive underpinnings of maths
difficulties
• Assessment implications
Maths difficulties & dyslexia
• Early studies suggested that only a proportion of dyslexic
children had maths difficulties
– Joffe (1981) 10% of dyslexic children scored well
above expectations, 60% scored well below
expectations on a test of written arithmetic
Central
executive
processing
ANS
Butterworth (2005)
Assessing the number module
• Subitising speed
• Number
comparison speed
4 7
Support for the role of the number
module
• Landerl et al. (2004)
• Compared basic numerical skills
– Children with reading difficulties in the
absence of severe mathematics difficulties
– Children with severe mathematics difficulties
in the absence of reading difficulties
– Children with severe mathematics difficulties
and reading difficulties
– Typically developing children
Support for the role of the number
module
• Landerl et al. (2004)
• Key finding – only the children with severe
mathematical difficulties showed impairments on
the basic tests of numerical skill
• Concluded that an impaired number module
leads to severe mathematics difficulties
‘dyscalculia’
• More recent support (Landerl, Fussenegger,
Moll, Willburger, 2009)
• The need for more longitudinal data (LeFevre et
al., in press)
Defining dyscalculia
• ‘A condition that affects the ability to
acquire arithmetical skills. Dyscalculic
learners may have difficulty understanding
simple number concepts, lack an intuitive
grasp of numbers, and have problems
learning number facts and procedures’
(DfES, 2001)
Possible subtypes
Phonological Impaired number
processing module
weaknesses
Insight in
Assessment weaknesses &
strengths
Understanding the
cognitive underpinnings
of maths difficulties May influence
teaching strategy,
but need for
empirical
evidence
Standardised tests
• Can be used to identify the severity of the
difficulty, but performance can be
influenced by type of test
– Written tests (e. g. BAS II, WRAT, Progress in
maths)
– WIAT- IIIUK – numerical operations/reasoning
breakdown
– Mental arithmetic (e. g. Arithmetic subscale
from Wechsler Intelligence Scales)
Dyscalculia
• Is it possible (and useful) to distinguish
dyscalculic children?
• Magnitude comparison tasks are
suggested as a method of assessing the
efficacy of the number module and
therefore distinguishing dyscalculic
children
– Consistent with DfES definition
Dyscalculia Screener
• Butterworth (2003)
• Simple reaction time – press a key when
you see a dot
• Dot enumeration (1-9)
• Number comparison
• Addition & multiplication verification
Sub-tests
8 9 5
3+5=8
Issues with interpretation
Impaired number
Impaired number facts & module
impaired basic numerical
abilities
Domain general cognitive weakness?
Absence