Dyscalculia is commonly thought of as a specific learning difficulty for mathematics, but the reality is that the effects can have an impact on learning across a range of curriculum areas. Aside from mathematical weaknesses, the manifestation of symptoms could include spatial or systematic weaknesses or any combination of the three. This could impact on navigational tasks, problem solving and memory functions, thereby having the potential to impact on learning in general.

Although dyscalculia is increasingly being accepted as a condition in its own right, it is still an area of significant disagreement globally, with some education and medical professionals challenging its existence. The concept and definitions are not as well developed and accepted as other conditions, such as dyslexia, and so there is a live debate in this area.

To put this into context, a search for ‘dyslexia’ on the www.gov.uk website (which includes the Department for Education) yields 64 results (May 2016), whilst a search for ‘dyscalculia’ yields only one result. Interestingly, the one result relates not to education, but to transport and the context is that dyscalculia is a learning disability that need not be reported to the DVLA (Driver Vehicle and Licensing Agency). Whilst it is sad that there are no references to accessing education support services for dyscalculia, it is perhaps notable that the British Government has acknowledged it as a learning disability.

Given that education policy is devolved across the UK, an interesting comparison is to consider the equivalent web searches above for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland (all conducted in May 2016). The Education Scotland website ( www.educationscotland.co.uk ) yields 36 results for ‘dyslexia’ and zero results for ‘dyscalculia’. However, a broader search of the Scottish Government website ( www.gov.scot ) yields five references to dyscalculia, which include definitions and datasets.

The Department of Education in Northern Ireland website ( www.education-ni.gov.uk ) yields three results for ‘dyslexia’ and zero results for ‘dyscalculia’. However, a deeper search through Northern Ireland’s Education Authority ( www.eani.org.uk ) yields nine results for ‘dyslexia’ and two results for dyscalculia. Of the two dyscalculia results, both represented links to annual reports and accounts, where a table was included showing the number of high level of needs statements by category. In both cases, dyscalculia was grouped together with dyslexia and dyspraxia.

The Department for Education and Skills website in Wales ( www.gov.wales ) yields nine results for ‘dyslexia’ and two results for ‘dyscalculia’. Of the two dyscalculia results, one is a reference is dyscalculia in the Specific Learning Difficulties Framework and the other is the published result of request for statistical data, which shows a breakdown of need by region across Wales. This latter result is of particular interest, since across the four UK nations, Wales appears the only country to have identified dyslexia at a national and regional level and then published the data. The data shows that as of January 2014, there were 620 children in Wales with dyscalculia, only five of whom had statements. As a proportion of the 465,081 pupils in Wales at that point, this means that only 0.001% of pupils were deemed to have dyscalculia compared to the 5% figure that is broadly agreed by the research in this area.

No matter how we look at this, it is clear that dyscalculia does not have the same status as dyslexia at a national level and this is reflected at all levels right across the education systems in all four nations. There is confusion about what dyscalculia is and there are significant misconceptions even within the sphere of education professionals. Whilst debate and discussion are healthy and can progress our understanding of complex conditions, we must be cautious of allowing the debate to cause division within the education sector limiting the pace of progress. Action must be taken quickly to identify and communicate the key areas of consensus so that there is at least solid platform on which to move forwards. Discussions in the academic and practitioner community can then be focused on constructive areas, where real value can be added.

Another example of the live debate in this area is the concept of developmental dyscalculia, which is characterised by impairments in learning basic arithmetic facts, numerical magnitude and performing accurate and fluent mathematical calculations. Critics would argue that developmental dyscalculia is no different to struggling with mathematics more generally, which is believed to affect around a quarter of all students. Fortunately, such critics are in the minority, with the overwhelming focus of professionals on how to identify and address the condition rather than challenging its existence.

It is not unusual for some children with dyscalculia to excel in mathematics and the Dyscalculia Centre in the USA suggests that as many as 50% of dyscalculic students have above average maths grades. Along with the fact that developmental dyscalculia often occurs with other developmental conditions, such as dyslexia and ADHD, this can make diagnosis problematic. There have been efforts to create assessment tools to support the identification of dyscalculia, for example by the Sheng Chi Foundation in the USA and the DysGuise in Scotland, but too often the focus for many organisations is about encouraging commercial solutions rather than developing a more strategic approach to the condition. The general consensus seems to be that there is no individual test to diagnose dyscalculia, so identification must be about parental and teacher awareness of the signs. One element of addressing the difficulties will be the development of a set of effective strategies that can be drawn upon to meet the individual needs of children and young people. It should be made clear here that there is no one solution that will tackle the issues of dyscalculia for every child. All children are different and what works for one child may not work for another, but to have a bank of strategies to draw from as a starting point represents a pragmatic and solution-orientated attitude.

In very broad terms, the signs of dyscalculia may include:

· Spatial difficulties: trouble with directions, distance, time

· Difficulty understanding mathematical concepts: different types of infinity, zero, place value

· Numerical difficulties: finds estimation difficult (limited sense of whether a particular numerical answer is reasonable), weak mental arithmetic skills, slow pace in following mathematical procedures (e.g. for calculations)

· Problem solving difficulties: applies the wrong strategies to the wrong problems, difficulty in funding alternative solutions to the same problem

There are many symptoms other than those above, but if every teacher was aware of only those listed here, we would be in a much stronger position.

From a perspective of high quality teaching, there are some small changes that should be considered to help enhance the learning experience for dyscalculic students.

1. When differentiating, provide less examples rather than more time. This will cater for a slower pace, whilst also reducing the risk of a child falling behind the rest of the class. In mathematics, it is common practice to give multiple examples so that children can become fluent in applying a particular technique, but where dyscalculia is concerned, rote learning and practice can be of limited additional value.

2. Reduce the need for memorisation. For example, the use of written rather than verbal instructions will reduce the pressure on a child’s working memory as there is no need to memorise the question alongside trying to understand, analyse and answer the question. Careful thought about where a child’s mental energies should be focused can help to target the skills that child needs to develop.

3. Avoid drill and rote learning wherever possible. Remembering facts can be a challenge for dyscalculic students, so it may be useful to consider how individual students can compensate for their lack of recall, for example by using mnemonics or visual aids.

To summarise, there is still significant research and development required to be able to more fully understand dyscalculia and how best to address the range of difficulties for individual children. We have taken a step in the right direction with our increasing global acceptance of this condition. To move forwards, there must be a concerted effort to recognise dyscalculia at all levels of our education systems so that we reach a point where dyscalculia is at least as widely accepted and understood as dyslexia.





Dr Adam Boddison

Chief Executive

National Association for Special Educational Needs