Dyscalculia Primer and Resource Guide

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Anna Wilson is an OECD Post-Doctoral Fellow at INSERM U562, Paris, conducting cognitive neuroscience research on the remediation of dyscalculia.

The purpose of this primer is to explain the cognitive neuroscience approach to dyscalculia (including the state of research in this area), to answer frequently asked questions, and to point the reader towards further resources on the subject.

Further references include some of the major scientific literature in the field, as well as reading suggestions for teachers and parents.

Note: The term dyscalculia in this document refers to developmental dyscalculia (present from birth or at an early age) and not to acquired dyscalculia (acquired as a result of brain lesion).

What is dyscalculia?

The first neuropsychological definition of developmental dyscalculia was put forward by the researcher Kosc (1974), who defined it as a difficulty in mathematical performance resulting from impairment to those parts of the brain that are involved in mathematical processing, without a concurrent impairment in general mental function. This definition is the same definition that researchers in cognitive neuroscience use today when searching for the causes and features of dyscalculia.

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Dyscalculia By: National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) (2006)

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What is dyscalculia?

Dyscalculia is a term referring to a wide range of life-long learning disabilities involving math. There is no single form of math disability, and difficulties vary from person to person and affect people differently in school and throughout life.

What are the effects of dyscalculia?

Since disabilities involving math can be so different, the effects they have on a person’s development can be just as different. For instance, a person who has trouble processing language will face different challenges in math than a person who has difficulty with visual – spatial relationships. Another person with trouble remembering facts and keeping a sequence of steps in order will have yet a different set of math-related challenges to overcome.

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Brain Awareness Week

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Brain Awareness Week (BAW) is the global campaign to increase public awareness of the progress and benefits of brain research.

Every March, BAW unites the efforts of partner organizations worldwide in a celebration of the brain for people of all ages. Events are limited only by the organizers’ imaginations and include open days at neuroscience labs; exhibitions about the brain; lectures on brain-related topics; displays at libraries and community centers; classroom workshops; and more.

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Dyscalculia Resources, Web Sites & Videos

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Brian Butterworth is Emeritus Professor of Cognitive Neuropsychology at University College, London and founding editor of the academic journal “Mathematical Cognition”. He taught at Cambridge and has held visiting appointments at the universities of Melbourne, Padua and Trieste, MIT and the Max Planck Institute at Nijmegen. He was elected Fellow of the British Academy in 2002. He is currently working with colleagues on the neuropsychology and the genetics of mathematical abilities.

He maintains a wonderful site with Resources, Websites and Videos about Dyscalculia

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How can people be tested for dyscalculia?

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One of my particular interests within special needs is dyscalculia, and the question I am asked most is that of how people can be tested for dyscalculia. It is also a difficult question to answer.

The main reason for testing for dyscalculia would be to ensure that they are getting the right sort of maths education. However, it is my belief that the methods that can be used to help overcome maths problems in children – and indeed in adults – are the same whatever the cause of the inability to do maths.

A child might struggle with maths because he/she is dyscalculic. Or because the child missed a lot of education through illness. Or because the child misbehaved in class, or didn’t like the teacher. Maybe the child heard the parent say, “Don’t worry I was no good at maths either” and so thought it was ok not to be able to do maths, and so stopped trying. Maybe the maths teacher was off sick for a long time and the replacement wasn’t very good.

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