62. Understanding/Assessing for Dyscalculia | PBIS 2023

Around 5% of school-aged children present with persistent difficulties learning numerical and mathematical concepts and skills. Despite the well-known consequences of poor numerical and mathematical skills, research into the symptoms and causes of mathematical learning difficulties lags behind progress in the scientific study of the typical and atypical development of reading and literacy skills. In this talk I will discuss what is known about mathematical learning difficulties (Developmental Dyscalculia) by drawing on research from Cognitive Psychology and Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. I will discuss what we know about the potential causes of Mathematical Learning Difficulties. I will show that there is no single cause for Mathematical Learning difficulties, but rather that such difficulties are influenced by the home and school environment as well as biological factors. Moreover, I will discuss how Mathematical Learning Difficulties relate to other learning challenges, such as Developmental Dyslexia and Mathematics Anxiety. Furthermore, I will discuss what is known about evidence-based approaches to screening of young children who might be at risk of developing mathematical learning difficulties.