Dyscalculia

Definition

The word dyscalculia comes from Greek and Latin and means 'counting badly'.

The definition given by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES, 2001) described dyscalculia as:

'A condition that affects the ability to acquire mathematical skills. Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding simple number concepts, lack an intuitive grasp of numbers and have problems learning number facts and procedures. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence'

According to the Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology: 'Numeracy problems impact more negatively on job prospects than literacy problems so dyscalculia is very likely to affect people in adulthood.' Postnote July 2004

Our understanding of dyscalculia is far behind that of dyslexia. There are screeners available which are at their infancy, but can be used to screen primary children for indications of dyscalculia. There is, however, no collection of standardized tests available that can be used to say definitively that a pupil is dyscalculic. Rather teachers and specialists still have to work on a principle of 'exclusion'. ie. If a pupil is of average or above average cognitive ability and has no problems with literacy or other general subjects, and all other reasons for failure can be excluded, and yet is unable to understand the maths that their peers are coping with easily, then they might be dyscalculic.

There are, of course, many other reasons that could lead to an inability to cope with maths and these occur due to its cumulative aspect. Each new mathematical principle rests on a firm understanding of the stage before, for instance decimals demand a clear grasp of place value, fractions an understanding of division. Therefore, any lack of understanding of underlying concepts due to absence from school when that concept was first introduced, would lead to an inability to progress. Care must therefore be taken before any diagnosis of dyscalculia is given. The main difference between dyscalculics and pupils who are having difficulty due to other factors, is their lack of any intuitive grasp of number and numerical relationships.

Current Research

Research into the underlying causes of dyscalculia are currently very much in their infancy. Current research by Dr Roi Cohen Kadosh at University College London has discovered that the right parietal lobe of the brain is essential to automatic processing of number. It could then follow from this that dyscalculic pupils have either smaller or less efficient parietal lobes and that dyscalculia, like dyslexia, is caused by a difference in brain function, ie it is a neurological difficulty.

'Virtual Dyscalculia Induced by Parietal-Lobe TMS Impairs Automatic Magnitude Processing', published in the journal of Current Biology 17.04.07

Other research is looking into dyscalculia being a congenital or hereditary disorder, or that it is caused by either working memory of short-term memory disruption or reduction, or that it could be a combination of these factors.

Dyscalculic symptoms

Dyscalculic symptoms can be observed as specifically mathematical and also as life-skill difficulties, brought on by the lack of mathematical proficiency and the weakness of underlying skills needed for the development of mathematical understanding.

Specifically mathematical symptoms would include:

Inability to tell which of two numbers was larger
Frequent difficulties with arithmetic, confusing signs: +,-, x, ÷
Reliance on 'counting-on' strategies: using fingers rather than more efficient mental arithmetic strategies
Difficulty with times-tables
Difficulty with mental arithmetic
Difficulty mentally estimating the measurement of an object or distance
Inability to grasp or remember mathematical concepts, rules, formulae and sequences

Generally observed life skill symptoms would include:

Difficulty in activities requiring sequential processing, from the physical, such as dance steps, to the abstract, reading, writing and signalling things in the right order
Difficulty with everyday tasks like checking change and reading analogue clocks
Inability to comprehend financial planning or budgeting such as estimating the cost of the items on a shopping list or balancing a chequebook
Difficulty in conceptualizing time and judging the passing of time
Problems differentiating between left and right
Having a poor sense of direction
Difficulty navigating or mentally 'turning' the map to face the current direction rather than the common North = top usage
Difficulty keeping score during games

The condition may lead to a phobia of mathematics and mathematical devices.

Remediation

The absence of a clear definition or testing should not however mean a lack of remediation in the classroom. We do know that to obtain mathematical understanding pupils need to interact with their early learning in a multi-sensory mode, and have repeated practice to reinforce their knowledge, and in certain areas, such as bonds of ten, gain automaticity where possible.

The gaining of automaticity is more difficult for pupils with SpLD to achieve as they will suffer from some memory deficiency. Add to this the fact that they will generally be slower workers that their peers and we come to one of the main obstacles in their learning: the fact that they need greater practice and reinforcement and yet manage less as they manage fewer worked examples due to their slower speeds of working. This is the area where IT can be of real benefit.

Dynamo Maths

The intention of Dynamo Maths is to provide the revisiting and learning reinforcement that these pupils so badly need, in a positive and enjoyable manner. We do not aim to teach, rather to provide the practice to reinforce the instruction that the teacher has provided.

The pupils will be introduced to each aspect of number in their classroom in an interactive, tactile manner using a wide variety of manipulatives. This kinaesthetic learning is the first stage and is of vital importance. When the teacher feels that the pupil has gained the understanding necessary to practice these concepts in a pictorial and representational manner, then Dynamo Maths provides the perfect tool. Working at their own pace for 10 minutes every day will lead to a fast and accurate manipulation of number with their teacher fully informed of their progress by the automated monitoring system.