Back to Basics

Pauline Clayton

Principal Tutor – Maths

Dyslexia Action

DDIG conference March 2007

What should we consider?

• Dyslexia and maths

• Dyscalculia

• Mental calculation

• Learning styles

• Where we are now

What do we think of when we hear ‘dyslexia’?

Strengths Weaknesses

• Visual spatial ability• Can see overall picture• Maths • Computing • Spoken language skills

• Organisation • Reading• Comprehension• Spelling and writing• Short term/working

memory • Recalling information

from long term memory• Word retrieval• Slow speed of

information processing• Lack of confidence• Poor self esteem• Maths

What skills do you need to

succeed at maths?

Skills neededfor maths

ReadingWriting

Comprehension

Concentration

Sequencing

Logic

Multi-memoryShort termWorkingRecall f rom long term

Concept ofnumber

Confi dence

Linking

Visual spatial skills

Where does dyscalculia come in?

What is it?

Latest Research

Butterworth (06)

• Counting and estimating?• Dyscalculic learners can see

difference in numbers by counting

• Cannot estimate, by an overview, which is the greater

Piazza et al (07)

• Showed that regions of the parietal lobe activate in response to numbers – either when presented as patterns of dots or a Arabic numerals

Kadosh et al (07)

• Demonstrated that two hemispheres of parietal lobe function differently in processing numbers.

• Left harbours abstract numerical representations

• Right shows dependence on the notation used e.g. 8 or eight

Researchers said that exploring how the processing of numerical symbols

develops could have clinical implications.

Investigation, in particular, at which stage such a representational divergence appears could contribute to both numerical cognition research

and to the rehabilitation of people suffering from developmental

dyscalculia.

Learning StylesHow do we approach maths?

• Holistically or sequentially• Qualitatively of quantitatively• Grasshopper or inchworm

Mental calculation

• How many skills can you think of that are needed for mental calculation?

MENTAL CALCULATI ON

WATCHI NG

LI STENI NG

UNDERSTANDI NGLANGUAGE

CONCENTRATI ON

LOGI CALTHI NKI NG

SEQUENCI NG

VI SUALI SATI ON

MULTI -MEMORYTASKS

WORKI NG UNDERTI ME PRESSURE

WORKI NG I NCOMPETI TI ON

STATI NG/ RECORDI NGTHE ANSWER

CONFI DENCE

BASI CNUMBER SKI LLS

NUMBERSKI LLS

Questions arising

• Have some learners been ‘pushed’ into one learning style? Perhaps the one the teacher prefers?

• With our current assessment tools,

can we, as teachers, say that a learner is definitely dyscalculic?

More …..

• Are we labelling too many learners, who have, for a variety of reasons, difficulties in maths, as dyscalculic?

• How do we teach dyscalculic learners?

Chinn (2007) says: As yet, unlike dyslexia, no one has come up with a magic cure for maths

difficulties. But they will.

Article in Dyslexia Review 2007

References • http://www.ac.uk/media/library/counting March 06.

Scientists find brain function most important to maths ability

• http://www.neuron.org Jan 07 Notation-Dependent and –Interdependent Representaions of Numbers in the Parietal Lobes Neuron 53, 307-314, Jan 18 2007

• Butterworth & Yeo (2004) Dyscalculia Guidance David Fulton. London

• Chinn S (2004)the trouble with maths. RouteledgeFalmer. London

• Sharma, Mahesh (1990) Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and some Remedial Perspectives for Mathematics Learning Problems Maths Notebook: From Theory into Practice no. 7, 8, 9, 10. The Center for Teaching/learning of mathematics. Framington USA