An introduction to the special issue: pathways to mathematical learning difficulties and disabilities (original) (raw)
Related papers
The Heterogeneity of Mathematical Learning Disabilities: Consequences for Research and Practice
lnternational Electronic Journal of Elementary Education, 2022
This paper argues why children with Mathematical Learning Disabilities (MLD) do not form a unitary group. Instead, they should be regarded as individuals with unique profiles of strengths and weaknesses that explain their mathematical difficulties. To build this argument, we shortly recapitulate the research on MLD, which has mainly been focused on characterizing the group of children with MLD–as compared to control groups. However, these general characteristics are not applicable to all children with MLD. Furthermore, attempts to define separate, relevant subgroups merely failed. Based on some recent studies, we show how individual profiles of strengths and weaknesses might help in understanding the specific mathematical difficulties of a child. We propose a new multidimensional framework of MLD, in which both strengths and weaknesses are recognized. We argue that both research and practice are in need of further research that takes individual differences into account.
Mathematical disabilities: Reflections on cognitive, neuropsychological, and genetic components
Learning and Individual Differences, 2010
The collection of articles in this special issue and related studies over the past decade provides a fine example of the substantial progress that has been made in our understanding and remediation of mathematical learning disabilities and difficulties since 1993 (Geary, 1993). The originally proposed procedural and retrieval deficits have been supported and a number sense deficit has been identified. There is evidence for visuospatial contributions to some aspects of mathematical learning, but identification of a core visuospatial deficit underlying some forms of mathematics learning disabilities and difficulties has been elusive. The contributions of working memory to the development and expression of these deficits is more nuanced than I originally proposed as are the brain systems supporting mathematical learning. Although much has been learned about children's difficulties in learning mathematics, but there is just as much and likely more than remains to be discovered. Cirino and Berch asked me to reflect on the articles in this special issue with respect to my 1993 review of what was then known about mathematical learning disabilities (MLD; Geary, 1993). At the time of my 1993 review, there were less than a score of cognitively-motivated studies of MLD and LA (low achievement), a somewhat richer literature in neuropsychology, and only a few behavioral genetic analyses of individual differences in mathematics achievement. The revolution in brain imaging technology was just underway and thus there were few such studies on mathematical processing and even fewer randomized control studies of cognitively-motivated interventions for MLD. In fact, there was no agreed upon criterion for diagnosing MLD. Substantial progress has been made in all of these areas, and the set of articles in this issue provides a fine illustration of how far our understanding of MLD and mathematical difficulties associated with LA has come since 1993. I reflect on some of these gains following the organization of the 1993 review; specifically, cognitive, neuropsychological, and genetic components of MLD. Unless otherwise noted, hereafter MLD refers to both MLD and LA children, as these groups were conflated in much of the earlier research. COGNITIVE COMPONENT With the early cognitively-motivated studies, the methods and theories used in the study of typical development were adopted to better understand the achievement deficits of children
Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 2011
Objective-The goals of the review are threefold; a) to highlight the educational and employment consequences of poorly developed mathematical competencies; b) overview the characteristics of the children with persistently low achievement in mathematics; and c) provide a primer on cognitive science research that is aimed at identifying the cognitive mechanisms underlying these learning disabilities and associated cognitive interventions. Method-Literatures on the educational and economic consequences of poor mathematics achievement were reviewed and integrated with reviews of epidemiological, behavioral genetic, and cognitive science studies of poor mathematics achievement. Results-Poor mathematical competencies are common among adults and result in employment difficulties and difficulties in many common day-today activities. Among students, about 7% of children and adolescents have a mathematical learning disability (MLD) and another 10% show persistent low achievement (LA) in mathematics despite average abilities in most other areas. Children with MLD and their LA peers have deficits in understanding and representing numerical magnitude, difficulties retrieving basic arithmetic facts from long-term memory, and delays in learning mathematical procedures. These deficits and delays cannot be attributed to intelligence, but are related to working memory deficits for children with MLD, but not LA children. Interventions that target these cognitive deficits are in development and preliminary results are promising. Conclusion-Mathematical learning disabilities and learning difficulties associated with persistent low achievement in mathematics are common and not attributable to intelligence. These individuals have identifiable number and memory delays and deficits that appear to be specific to mathematics learning. The most promising interventions are those that target these specific deficits and, in addition, for children with MLD interventions that target their low working memory capacity.
Mathematical disabilities: Cognitive, neuropsychological, and genetic components
1993
The collection of articles in this special issue and related studies over the past decade provides a fine example of the substantial progress that has been made in our understanding and remediation of mathematical learning disabilities and difficulties since 1993 (Geary, 1993). The originally proposed procedural and retrieval deficits have been supported and a number sense deficit has been identified. There is evidence for visuospatial contributions to some aspects of mathematical learning, but identification of a core visuospatial deficit underlying some forms of mathematics learning disabilities and difficulties has been elusive. The contributions of working memory to the development and expression of these deficits is more nuanced than I originally proposed as are the brain systems supporting mathematical learning. Although much has been learned about children's difficulties in learning mathematics, but there is just as much and likely more than remains to be discovered. Cirino and Berch asked me to reflect on the articles in this special issue with respect to my 1993 review of what was then known about mathematical learning disabilities (MLD; Geary, 1993). At the time of my 1993 review, there were less than a score of cognitively-motivated studies of MLD and LA (low achievement), a somewhat richer literature in neuropsychology, and only a few behavioral genetic analyses of individual differences in mathematics achievement. The revolution in brain imaging technology was just underway and thus there were few such studies on mathematical processing and even fewer randomized control studies of cognitively-motivated interventions for MLD. In fact, there was no agreed upon criterion for diagnosing MLD. Substantial progress has been made in all of these areas, and the set of articles in this issue provides a fine illustration of how far our understanding of MLD and mathematical difficulties associated with LA has come since 1993. I reflect on some of these gains following the organization of the 1993 review; specifically, cognitive, neuropsychological, and genetic components of MLD. Unless otherwise noted, hereafter MLD refers to both MLD and LA children, as these groups were conflated in much of the earlier research. COGNITIVE COMPONENT With the early cognitively-motivated studies, the methods and theories used in the study of typical development were adopted to better understand the achievement deficits of children
Unraveling the Complex Nature of Mathematics Learning Disability
Learning Disability Quarterly, 2013
In this article, we provide an overview of current knowledge on the underlying cognitive deficits associated with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD). We highlight difficulties surrounding the identification of MLD that include inconsistency in defining MLD, comorbidity with other disabilities, problems associated with assessment tools and actual skills measured, and the limited research on MLD. We offer suggestions for strengthening the research base, which in turn should contribute to improved outcomes for students with mathematics disabilities.
Missouri longitudinal study of mathematical development and disability
BJEP Monograph Series II: Part 7 Understanding Number Development and Difficulties, 2010
Background. Of all the students, 7% will experience as evere learning deficit in mathematics before completing high school. These students with am athematical learning disability (MLD) are joined by another 5-10% of students with less severe learning difficulties. Aims. The goal is to identify the core deficits that define MLD and mathematical difficulties; identify the cognitive systems that underlie these deficits; and, to develop measures to identify at-risk children. Method. The Missouri project is ap rospective kindergarten to 9th grade study of more than 200 students' mathematical growth and learning. Students are administered standardized achievement tests and mathematical cognition tasks once ay ear. Ac omprehensivew orking memoryb atteryw as administered in 1st and 5th grade, and classroom attention assessed in 2nd to 4th grade. Results. Initial resultsi ndicate that children with MLDp erform about1SD below average on workingmemorymeasures, even when IQ is controlled, andp erform below average on mathematical cognitiont asks that involve number processinga nd representation,executionofarithmeticprocedures, andrecall of arithmetic facts.Children with learningd ifficulties have average IQ andw orkingm emoryt estp erformance but arebelow average on number processing tasksand recall of arithmetic facts.Performance on 1stgrade mathematical cognition tasks is predictive of MLDstatusinlatergrades. Conclusions. Children with MLD have broad working memorydeficits and specific deficits in their sense of number that delays their learning of formal mathematics. Children with learning difficulties do not have working memoryd eficits, but they do have ap oor number sense and difficulties recalling arithmetic facts. On the basis of several population-based, prospective studies and many smallerscale studies,a bout 7% of children and adolescents will experience as ubstantive learning deficit-n ot attributable to low cognitive ability-i na tl east one area of mathematicsb eforeg raduatingf romh ighs chool(
Learning Disability Quarterly, 2013
In this article, we provide an overview of current knowledge on the underlying cognitive deficits associated with mathematics learning disabilities (MLD). We highlight difficulties surrounding the identification of MLD that include inconsistency in defining MLD, comorbidity with other disabilities, problems associated with assessment tools and actual skills measured, and the limited research on MLD. We offer suggestions for strengthening the research base, which in turn should contribute to improved outcomes for students with mathematics disabilities.
Mathematical difficulties as decoupling of expectation and developmental trajectories
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 2014
Recent years have seen an increase in research articles and reviews exploring mathematical difficulties (MD). Many of these articles have set out to explain the etiology of the problems, the possibility of different subtypes, and potential brain regions that underlie many of the observable behaviors. These articles are very valuable in a research field, which many have noted, falls behind that of reading and language disabilities. Here will provide a perspective on the current understanding of MD from a different angle, by outlining the school curriculum of England and the US and connecting these to the skills needed at different stages of mathematical understanding. We will extend this to explore the cognitive skills which most likely underpin these different stages and whose impairment may thus lead to mathematics difficulties at all stages of mathematics development. To conclude we will briefly explore interventions that are currently available, indicating whether these can be used to aid the different children at different stages of their mathematical development and what their current limitations may be. The principal aim of this review is to establish an explicit connection between the academic discourse, with its research base and concepts, and the developmental trajectory of abstract mathematical skills that is expected (and somewhat dictated) in formal education. This will possibly help to highlight and make sense of the gap between the complexity of the MD range in real life and the state of its academic science.
Child Development, 2007
Using strict and lenient mathematics achievement cutoff scores to define a learning disability, respective groups of children who are math disabled (MLD, n 5 15) and low achieving (LA, n 5 44) were identified. These groups and a group of typically achieving (TA, n 5 46) children were administered a battery of mathematical cognition, working memory, and speed of processing measures (M 5 6 years). The children with MLD showed deficits across all math cognition tasks, many of which were partially or fully mediated by working memory or speed of processing. Compared with the TA group, the LA children were less fluent in processing numerical information and knew fewer addition facts. Implications for defining MLD and identifying underlying cognitive deficits are discussed.