Understanding Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a term which is used to describe a neurological difference, often referred to as a Specific Learning Difference (or difference) – a difference in the way that the brain processes information which causes difficulties understanding numbers.
Dyscalculia is thought to affect what is known as our conceptual understanding of maths – our ability to recognise numbers, understand how they work and to do basic maths. It can lead to lots of difficulties with different aspects of maths. Dyscalculia is diagnosed when someone has specific and persistent difficulties in understanding numbers, difficulties that remain even after they have been given lots of high-quality intervention into maths. We tend to use the word dyscalculia when someone’s difficulties fall at the most severe end of the spectrum.
About 25% of the UK population is thought to have some sort of mathematical difficulty, with around 5% thought to have dyscalculia. People don’t grow out of dyscalculia, it is a lifelong condition so people who struggle with maths as a child will continue to find it hard as an adult, although they may work out strategies that can help them cope and get by. Dyscalculia is genetic in origin, which means it can be inherited. This means that we could find it running through families, although it certainly may not affect everyone in the family – and how it looks in different members of the family might be quite different. It can make all sorts of everyday tasks hard because we use numbers and mathematical concepts so much – cooking, shopping, getting places on time, measuring things and finding our way around.
Definitions:
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual –DSM–5 (2013):
Mathematical Impairment in Specific Learning Disorder is a neurodevelopmental disorder of biological origin manifested in learning difficulties and problems in acquiring academic skills markedly below age level and manifested in the early school years, lasting for at least 6 months; not attributed to intellectual disabilities, developmental disorders, or neurological or motor disorders,evidencing problems withnumber sense, memorisation of arithmetic facts, accurate or fluent calculation and accurate math reasoning.
In the UK, the British Dyslexia Association (BDA) issued a working definition in 2019:
Dyscalculia is a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics. It will be unexpected in relation to age, level of education and experience and occurs across all ages and abilities.
What Causes Dyscalculia?
It is likely that there is no single cause of reason for dyscalculia and that it arises from a mix of neurodevelopmental and cognitive processing differences including:
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Number sense deficits: Core difficulty with the brain’s “approximate number system” that underpins subitising and magnitude comparison
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Access‐deficit: Difficulty mapping symbolic representations (e.g. numerals) onto underlying quantity concepts
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Working memory or executive function issues: Challenges holding and manipulating numerical information
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Genetic or neurological risk factors: Familial history of learning differences indicate a neurobiological basis in many cases
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Comorbid neurodiversity: Many children with dyscalculia also present with dyslexia, DCD/dyspraxia or ADHD- estimations range between 20–60 % comorbidity depending on sample
Importantly, dyscalculia is not attributable to lack of effort, poor instruction, motivation, or low intelligence. It represents a specific learning difficulty or difference in number processing and mathematics.
For more information on dyscalculia and mathematical difficulties including frameworks, approaches, and strategies, see our training course written and delivered by Specialist Teacher Pasannamati Neal. The course has been developed through our work over many years, working in mainstream and special school settings, along with some of the most recent ideas and knowledge in the field.
