An Initial Survey into
Dyscalculia
within
Higher Education
Clare Trott
Simon Drew
DSM-IV (2000)
Mathematics Disorder:
"as measured by a standardised test
that is given individually, the person's
mathematical ability is substantially less
than would be expected from the
person’s age, intelligence and
education. This deficiency materially
impedes academic achievement or daily
living"
2
Key Features (1)
1. Mathematical level compared to expectation
“Most dyscalculic learners will have cognitive and
language abilities in the normal range, and may
excel in non-mathematical subjects“ (Butterworth,
2001)
2. Impedance of academic achievement and daily
living
“Dyscalculia is a term referring to a wide range of
life long learning disabilities involving math… the
difficulties vary from person to person and affect
people differently in school and throughout life”.
(NCLD, 2009)
3
Key Features (2)
• What is “mathematical ability” ?
• “Mathematics Disorder”
– implies a stable cognitive root
– not achievement or mastery which is
subject to education and environment
– Not assessed by achievement test
4
The National Numeracy Strategy
“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”
(DfES, 2001)
5
Key Features (1)
• “ability to acquire” emphasises
acquisition rather than carrying
out arithmetic procedures.
• “difficulty understanding simple
number concepts, lack an
intuitive grasp of numbers”
placing understanding at the core
of dyscalculia
6
“A lack of a true comprehension
or understanding of maths will
be a key characteristic of
dyscalculic people” Chinn S. (2006)
Key Features (2)
•
•
“Learning number facts and
procedures”
More dyslexia related?
Prevalence: estimated 5-6%
May 2011
(Butterworth, 2002)
7
Background
•
•
•
•
HESA data for SpLDs is non-specific
Prevalence figures based on children
No H.E. dyscalculia data available
Obtaining a snapshot of the current
situation?
–
–
–
–
How many dyscalculic H.E. students?
What screening used?
What support is available?
Who are the students?
• Set-up of online survey
8
Screening for Dyscalculia
(39 institutions)
“No screening for
dyscalculia other
than self-reporting
from student.”
“...requests for
dyscalculia testing
forwarded to our
Educational
Psychologists, who
just seem to base
their judgement on
WRAT scores.”
DysL=dyslexia
DysC=dyscalculia
DI=diagnostic interview
None
9
Neurodiverse Profile:
(144 students, 16 institutions)
10
“No way of tracking students with co-morbid
dyscalculia. We have NO students with
dyscalculia alone, rather more with dyslexiarelated maths difficulties.”
“I am not completely convinced that the
assessments for our students are 100% accurate
for dyscalculia. One particular Ed Psych seems to
identify more students with dyscalculia than
others and she does this because the student has
considerable difficulties with the mathematical
element of the WRAT and the arithmetic in the
WAIS – not sure if you would class this as
definitely dyscalculia?”
11
Number of Dyscalculic Students
(182 students, 28 institutions)
12
“We don't recognise dyscalculia as such...”
“The disability data is such that it is
impossible to extract students disclosing
dyscalculia.”
“I don’t know how many of the multiple
SpLDs have been diagnosed as having
dyscalculia.”
“We have concerns over how dyscalculia is
assessed (what tests are appropriate) and
who has the expertise.”
13
% of Dyscalculic Students
(182 students, 28 institutions)
Overall % of dyscalculic students is 0.04%
14
% of Dyscalculics by Screening
Type: (181 students, 26 institutions)
Mann Whitney U
*Use dysL screen
P=0.224,p>0.05
*Use dysC screen
P=0.352,p>0.05
*Use DI
P=0.005,p<0.05
“This is an area we
need to improve on
and are looking at
how we might do
this.”
15
Task 1: Interview with
Students
• Do you use a DI?
• What is currently in your DI?
• Does it include an extended maths
section?
• What would you include in such a
section?
• Which aspects of the DI would you
consider highlight
“at risk of dyscalculia”?
% of Dyscalculics by Subject Area
(148 students, 14 institutions)
17
“We have a particular problem with
Radiographers (medical imaging).”
“I can see how it would be relevant
to art but maybe it isn’t really an
issue for our students.”
“We have a number of students who
express maths difficulty but they
have chosen courses with no maths
content – not even soft maths as in
Sociology.”
18
When Identified by Subject Area
(154 students, 17 institutions)
“Assessing dyscalculic
students is a gap in
our provision.”
19
When Identified by Subject Area
(154 students, 17 institutions)
“My
training...was
thorough in
training me to
tutor and assess,
but coverage of
dyscalculia was
minimal.”
20
Support Provision:
(27 institutions)
“...no teaching
specialist and
no extra maths
support beyond
what would
normally be
given.”
“We are aware
that we may
not serve the
needs of
students with
dyscalculia.”
21
Task 2: Your Dyscalculic Students
• Who are they?
– Course?
– Mathematical barriers?
– Neurodiverse needs?
• What support do you provide?
• Who provides support?
• How could you improve provision?
Issues and Future Research
•
•
•
•
Diagnostic interview content?
Definition of dyscalculia?
Data storage to enable reporting?
Effective screening and assessment?
– Age appropriate
– DysCalculiUM (Iansyst/Tribal, 2010)
– Separate dyslexic MD from dyscalculia
• Dyscalculia in children = 5 – 6%
– HE much less
– Why?
23
Issues and Future Research
• Increasing numbers in HE
– Pre-identified?
– Child-based screening
– Changing pattern
• Subjects allied to medicine
– Nursing & numeracy, bio-sciences
• Support tutors
– Understand how neurodiversity affects maths
– Training
• Giving HE dyscalculic students a voice?
24
DysCalculiUM process
Learner
accesses
DysCalculiUM
portal
• Completes screener
• Results
automatically
analysed
• Reviews students
Tutor access
results & profiles
DysCalculiUM
• Identify students
portal
who are at risk
Further
investigation
of difficulties
• Tutor-led
interview
25
26
https://dyscalculia.advancelearningzone.com/
References
American Psychiatric Association (2000) DSM-IV Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth
Edition. Arlington, VA, APA
Butterworth B. (2001) Educational Leadership Interview. www.mathematicalbrain.com/int06.html (accessed
26/11/07)
Butterworth, B. (2002) Mathematics and the Brain. Opening address to the Mathematical Association conference,
Reading, UK. www.mathematicalbrain.com/pdf/malecture.pdf (accessed 27/05/11)
Chinn S (2006) What Dyslexia can tell us about Dyscalculia. Dyslexia Review 18 (1) p15-17
DfES (2001) The National Numeracy Strategy. Guidance to support pupils with dyslexia and dycalculia. DfES
0512/2001
http://publications.teachnet.gov.uk/eOrderingDownload/DfES-0512-2001.pdf (accessed 26/11/07)
HESA (2011) Higher Education Statistics Agency. www.hesa.ac.uk (accessed 12/05/11)
NCLD (2009) The National Center for Learning Disabilities Dyscalculia. http://ncld.org/ld-basics/ld-aamplanguage/ld-aamp-math/dyscalculia (accessed 2/2/10)
Tribalgroup (2001) DysCalculiUM. https://shop.tribalgroup.co.uk/Assessment-screening/DyscalculiUM.html
UCAS (2011) Universities & Colleges Admissions Service. www.ucas.com (accessed 12/05/11)
28