Could My Child Have Dyscalculia?
According to Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), "good numeracy is the best protection against unemployment, low wages and poor health."
He’s absolutely right, of course. The impact of difficulty with maths in everyday life is profound. We apply numeracy every day, in all areas of our lives, in ways you may not have considered. If you struggle with numeracy, you might not be able to work out how long it is until your bus leaves, if you are able to get on the right bus in the first place. You might not be able to calculate the extra ingredients needed for a recipe when extra guests unexpectedly arrive for dinner. You might not know that you have been short-changed or overpaid a bill, how much medicine to give your children in the middle of the night or how to help them with their homework. Our ability to use these and other numerical skills impacts our ability to be financially, socially and professionally independent as well as affecting mental health and wellbeing.
Yet, despite this, maths-related learning difficulties are far less understood and recognised than similar problems related to literacy and language.
What is dyscalculia?
According to the Government Office for Science (2019), dyscalculia is a significant difficulty in numerical processing despite otherwise normal intellectual abilities and educational experiences (Landerl, Bevan, & Butterworth, 2004; Schwenk et al., 2017).
More broadly, dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in acquiring skills related to arithmetic which cannot be explained by external factors, leading to a range of difficulties in acquiring numeracy skills and learning about number and arithmetic. According to the DfE (2018), dyscalculia is “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. Even if they produce a correct answer or use a correct method, they may do so mechanically and without confidence.”
The prevalence of dyscalculia is thought to be similar to those for dyslexia at around 6% (Gross-Tur, Manor, & Shalev, 1996). Dyscalculia often co-occurs with other specific learning difficulties, but can also occur in isolation (Landerl & Moll, 2010). It is not related to nor caused by the overall ability or intelligence of the individual.
Are all difficulties in maths due to dyscalculia?
No, there are many other reasons to explain why some children have difficulties acquiring numeracy skills. One reason may be because of the hierarchical and cumulative way in which mathematical skills are acquired, which means that the learner must grasp certain skills and concepts before they can move on to the next skills and concepts. Any gaps in learning can therefore have a significant impact and need to be addressed before the learner can progress.
Other factors can also impact significantly on a child’s ability to acquire numeracy skills, which should be discounted before diagnosis can be considered. These can include:
Environmental factors, such as inadequate or inappropriate learning opportunities, leading to gaps in knowledge and experience;
Emotional factors, such as low confidence or maths anxiety leading to the learner becoming reluctant to participate or engage in maths;
Cognitive and/or learning difficulties impacting on learning in other areas, such as slow processing speed, working memory or literacy needs;
Expressive or receptive language difficulties affecting a learner’s ability to understand the language of mathematical concepts and operations;
Sensory and physical needs, such as hearing, vision and fine motor skills.
There is agreement that difficulties with maths are best thought of as a continuum, with dyscalculia at one end. Dyscalculia often coexists with other specific learning difficulties including dyslexia, neurodevelopmental difficulties and maths anxiety. It occurs across all ages and abilities.
How does dyscalculia present?
A dyscalculic learner may present with difficulties in many or all of the following areas:
Difficulty with subitising (instantly recognising the number of objects in a small group without the need to count them)
Difficulty retaining basic number facts and understanding place value
Issues with comparison and ordering
Limited range of strategies for problem-solving
A poor sense of number, difficulty estimating and low sense of whether answers are right or nearly right
Slow to perform mathematical calculations and difficulties performing more complex procedures
Avoidance of maths tasks or those in daily life reliant on mathematical skills
High levels of maths anxiety
How can RocketEd help?
We offer specialist dyscalculia assessments to determine whether a diagnosis of dyscalculia is indicated. Following assessment, we provide suggestions for parents and schools of ways to support learners with numeracy difficulties. Contact us to find out more.
