Characteristics of Students with Learning Disabilities and the Impact

on Learning Mathematics.

Information Processing

How sensory input is:• Perceived • Transformed • Reduced • Elaborated • Stored • Retrieved• Used

(Swanson, 1987)

Information Processing Weaknesses That Affect Math

• Visual deficits • Auditory-processing difficulties • Motor disabilities • Memory deficiencies• Attention deficits• Expressive language difficulties • Receptive language difficulties

Visual deficits

• Spatial perception

• Reversals

• Figure ground

• Visual discrimination

Auditory-processing difficulties

• Ability to analyze, interpret and process information obtained though the ear.

• It does not apply to what is received by the ear drum, or to deafness.

Motor disabilities

• Includes limited mobility or movement

• In most cases can be accommodated through assistive technology.

Memory deficiencies

• If the information is to be learned, it will either be transferred to and stored in long-term memory, or

• a strategy will be utilized to keep the information in short-term memory.

Attention deficits

• Abilities to focus on the material for extended time

Expressive Language difficulties

• Taking processed information from the brain, and expressing it to others so that they can assess knowledge

• Underdeveloped vocabulary

Receptive Language difficulties

• Inability to convert language input to usable data within the brain.

• Underdeveloped vocabulary

Cognition

• Cognition – understanding, knowing

• Cognition in Math may include:– Reading (Comprehension)– Paraphrasing (Translation)– Visualizing (Transformation)– Hypothesizing (Planning)– Estimating (Prediction)– Computing (Calculation)– Checking (Evaluating)

(from Montague’s cognitive & metacognitive model of mathematical problem solving)

Metacognition• Thinking about Thinking • Also called self-regulation or executive control• “The active control over learning-related behaviors,

self-regulation of motivation and affect, and control over various cognitive strategies for learning, such as rehearsal and memory strategies” (Pintrich, 1994).

• Metacognition in Math may include:– Self-instructing– Self-questioning– Self-monitoring

(from Montague’s cognitive & metacognitive model of mathematical problem solving)

Cognitive & Metacognitive Issues

• Students with cognitive and/or metacognitive barriers may have issues with:– Assessing their abilities to solve

problems– Identifying and selecting appropriate

strategies– Organizing information– Monitoring problem-solving processes– Evaluating problems for accuracy– Generalizing strategies to new situations

Maintaining Positive Attitudes Toward Learning Mathematics

• Attitude affects achievement

• Attitudes can be influenced by:– Curriculum design– Teacher behavior– Past experiences

Any questions?

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Connect to Think Aloud

• How does Think Aloud address any of the barriers encountered in the “Clinking Glasses” problem?

• How could the problem be differentiated to address the different barriers students may encounter?