INNOVATIONS
DDIG Conference 13th April 2005
Anne Mitchell
Helen Arkell Dyslexia Centre
Numeracy problems impact more
negatively on job prospects than
literacy problems
Bynner, J. & Parsons, S. (1997) Do Numeracy Skills
Matter? – Basic Skills Agency
The connection between numeracy
levels and earnings is more
significant than the connection
between literacy levels and earnings
The Skills for Life Survey – A national need and
impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills.
DfES, 2003
Higher Education – new challenges
• Transition – environmental, independence,
responsibilities, friendships
• Organisational skills – previewing, planning,
time, space, possessions, ideas
• Finances – budgets, banking, employment
Maths is the Subject
Maths in the Subject
• diversity
• maths curriculum
in school
• teaching methods
•
•
•
•
•
•
economics
sociology
psychology
business & finance
geography
archaeology
SpLD
Dyslexia
Dyspraxia
Dysphasia
Dyscalculia
Attention
deficit
Dyslexia
ADD
Dyspraxia
Dyscalculia
Dr Alex Richardson
Dyslexia
Dr Angela Fawcett
Dyslexia and dyspraxia
co-occur in 50% of
30%
of learners with
Dyspraxia
cases.
ADD
dyslexia also have other
specific learning
Dyslexia and ADD = codifficulties
occur in 30-50% of
Dyscalculia
cases.
Dyspraxia and ADD cooccur in 50% of cases
Dyslexia:
Is best described as a combination of abilities
and difficulties which affect the learning
process in one or more of reading, spelling,
writing and sometimes numeracy.
Accompanied weaknesses maybe identified in
areas of speed of processing, short-term
memory, sequencing, auditory and/or visual
perception, spoken language and motor skills.
The Dyslexia Handbook, British Dyslexia Association,
2000
Incidence
Between 2% and 15% of the population have
dyslexia (Parliamentary Office of Science and
Technology, Postnote No.226, July 2004)
10% of the population have dyslexia
(Butterworth, 1999)
Of these:
60% have significant problems with arithmetic
and mathematics (Joffe, L. 1980)
40% have difficulty with mathematics
(Butterworth, 1999)
Students may experience difficulties with:
Speed of Processing
Working Memory
Sequencing
Language
Auditory/visual perception
Motor Skills
Literacy skills
Maths Language(s)
same as in general use
in general use but different
meaning
subject specific
visual
symbolic
Dyslexia
Genetic
Brain-based
• structure
• cerebellum
• cellular
• phonological
processing
• working memory
• visual processing
Causal Modelling Framework from
Morton and Frith, 1995
Biological
Cognitive
Counting, arithmetic,
remembering number Behavioural
facts and procedures,
understanding
concepts
…a condition which 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. (2001)
A disorder in the ability to do or to learn mathematics
ie. Difficulty in number conceptualization,
understanding number relationships, and difficulty in
learning algorithms and applying them. (1990)
The dyscalculic individual may have sufficient
intellectual ability and proper motivation, yet, the
individual will show lower than average mathematical
age in relation to normal mental age. (1990)
Incidence
About 7% of children have some form of
learning disability in maths (Geary, 1996)
4-6% of the population have dyscalculia
(Butterworth, 1999)
Dyslexia
Genetic
Brain-based
• structure
• cerebellum
• cellular
• phonological
processing
• working memory
• visual processing
Dyscalculia
Biological
Cognitive
Genetic
Brain-based
• number module
• numerosities
• subitizing
• working memory for
numerical information
Counting, arithmetic,
Counting, arithmetic,
remembering number Behavioural remembering number
facts and procedures,
facts and procedures,
understanding
Understanding
concepts
concepts
Number Module
Hard-wired
• numerical
‘start-up’ kit
Located in the
left parietal
lobe
• categorises
world according
to numerosities
• ability to
subitize
Subitizing:
Recognising number of dots without
counting
Neo-Cortex
Limbic
System
Hormone release
Learning becomes impossible
REPTILIAN BRAIN
• Ancient part of the brain which
activates predetermined and learned
survival behaviours
Increased
BP
Large muscles
tense
Increased
heart rate
Blood drained
from neo-cortex
Challenges
Research
Identification
Support