INNOVATIONSINNOVATIONSDDIG Conference 13DDIG Conference 13thth April 2005 April 2005

Anne MitchellAnne MitchellHelen Arkell Dyslexia CentreHelen Arkell Dyslexia Centre

Numeracy problems impact Numeracy problems impact more negatively on job more negatively on job prospects than literacy problems prospects than literacy problems

Bynner, J. & Parsons, S.Bynner, J. & Parsons, S. (1997)(1997) Do Numeracy Do Numeracy Skills Matter? –Skills Matter? – Basic Skills AgencyBasic Skills Agency

The connection between The connection between numeracy levels and earnings is numeracy levels and earnings is more significant than the more significant than the connection between literacy connection between literacy levels and earningslevels and earnings

The Skills for Life Survey – A national need and The Skills for Life Survey – A national need and impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT impact survey of literacy, numeracy and ICT skills. skills. DfES, 2003DfES, 2003

Higher Education – new Higher Education – new challengeschallenges

• Transition – environmental, Transition – environmental, independence, responsibilities, independence, responsibilities, friendshipsfriendships

• Organisational skills – previewing, Organisational skills – previewing, planning, time, space, possessions, planning, time, space, possessions, ideasideas

• Finances – budgets, banking, Finances – budgets, banking, employment employment

Maths is the Maths is the SubjectSubject

• diversitydiversity• maths maths curriculum curriculum in schoolin school• teaching teaching methodsmethods

Maths in the Maths in the SubjectSubject

• economicseconomics• sociologysociology• psychologypsychology• business & business & financefinance• geographygeography• archaeologyarchaeology

SpLDSpLD

DyscalculiaDyslexia

Dyspraxia Attention deficit

Dysphasia

Dyslexia

ADD Dyspraxia

Dyscalculia

Dyslexia

ADD Dyspraxia

Dyscalculia

Dr Alex RichardsonDr Alex Richardson

Dyslexia and Dyslexia and dyspraxia co-occur in dyspraxia co-occur in 50% of cases.50% of cases.

Dyslexia and ADD = Dyslexia and ADD = co-occur in 30-50% of co-occur in 30-50% of cases.cases.

Dyspraxia and ADD Dyspraxia and ADD co-occur in 50% of co-occur in 50% of casescases

Dr Angela FawcettDr Angela Fawcett

30% of learners with 30% of learners with dyslexia also have dyslexia also have other specific other specific learning difficultieslearning difficulties

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, The Dyslexia Handbook, British Dyslexia Association, 20002000

IncidenceIncidenceBetween 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:Of these:60% have significant problems with arithmetic and mathematics (Joffe, L. 1980)

40% have difficulty with mathematics (Butterworth, 1999)

Students may experience difficulties Students may experience difficulties with:with:

Speed of Speed of ProcessingProcessing Working Working MemoryMemory

SequencinSequencingg LanguagLanguagee

Motor SkillsMotor Skills

Literacy Literacy skillsskills

Auditory/visual Auditory/visual perceptionperception

Maths Language(s)Maths Language(s)

same as in general usesame as in general use

in general use but different in general use but different meaningmeaning

subject specificsubject specific

visualvisual

symbolicsymbolic

DyslexiaDyslexia Causal Modelling Framework from Causal Modelling Framework from Morton and Frith, 1995Morton and Frith, 1995

GeneticGenetic

Brain-basedBrain-based• structurestructure• cerebellumcerebellum• cellularcellular

BiologicalBiological

• phonological phonological processingprocessing• working memoryworking memory• visual processingvisual processing

CognitiveCognitive

Counting, arithmetic, Counting, arithmetic,

remembering numberremembering number

facts and facts and procedures,procedures,

understanding understanding

conceptsconcepts

BehaviouralBehavioural

……a condition which affects the a condition which affects the ability to ability to acquire arithmetical acquire arithmetical skillsskills. Dyscalculic learners may . Dyscalculic learners may have difficulty understanding have difficulty understanding simple simple number conceptsnumber concepts, lack an , lack an intuitive grasp of numbers, and intuitive grasp of numbers, and have problems have problems learning number learning number facts and proceduresfacts and procedures. (2001). (2001)

A disorder in the ability to do or to learn A disorder in the ability to do or to learn mathematics ie. mathematics ie. Difficulty in number Difficulty in number conceptualizationconceptualization, , understanding number understanding number relationshipsrelationships, and , and difficulty in learning difficulty in learning algorithms and applying them.algorithms and applying them. (1990) (1990)

The dyscalculic individual may have The dyscalculic individual may have sufficient intellectual ability and proper sufficient intellectual ability and proper motivation, yet, the individual motivation, yet, the individual will show will show lower than average mathematical age in lower than average mathematical age in relation to normal mental age.relation to normal mental age. (1990) (1990)

IncidenceIncidence

About 7% of children have some form of learning disability in maths (Geary, 1996)

4-6% of the population have dyscalculia (Butterworth, 1999)

DyslexiaDyslexia DyscalculiaDyscalculia

GeneticGenetic

Brain-basedBrain-based• structurestructure• cerebellumcerebellum• cellularcellular

BiologicalBiologicalGeneticGenetic

Brain-basedBrain-based• number modulenumber module

• phonological phonological processingprocessing• working memoryworking memory• visual processingvisual processing

CognitiveCognitive

• numerositiesnumerosities• subitizingsubitizing• working memory for working memory for numerical informationnumerical information

Counting, arithmetic, Counting, arithmetic,

remembering numberremembering number

facts and facts and procedures,procedures,

understanding understanding

conceptsconcepts

BehaviouralBehaviouralCounting, arithmetic, Counting, arithmetic,

remembering numberremembering number

facts and procedures,facts and procedures,

Understanding Understanding

conceptsconcepts

Number Module

• numerical ‘start-up’ kit

• categorises world according to numerosities

• ability to subitize

Hard-wired

Located in the left parietal lobe

Subitizing: Subitizing:

Recognising number of dots Recognising number of dots without countingwithout counting

Neo-CortexNeo-Cortex

Limbic Limbic SystemSystem

Hormone releaseHormone release

Learning becomes impossibleLearning becomes impossible

REPTILIAN BRAINREPTILIAN BRAIN• Ancient part of the brain which Ancient part of the brain which activates predetermined and activates predetermined and learned survival behaviourslearned survival behaviours

Increased Increased BPBP

Increased Increased heart rateheart rate

Large muscles Large muscles tensetense

Blood drained Blood drained from neo- from neo-

cortexcortex

ChallengeChallengess

ResearchResearch

IdentificatioIdentificationn

SupportSupport