First-Line Screener for Dyscalculia

Update on trials

Autumn 2006

Background

Cognitive Model

• Conceptual – understanding of number, place value

• Comparative – relative size

• Verbal• Symbolic• Visual-Spatial

Operational

• Conceptual – conception of correct operation to

• achieve required outcome• reverse a process

• Inferential – given an operational definition

• make comparative inferences about an outcome, without realising the outcome

• Infer an operational relationship

• Abstract Symbolic

• Spatial-Temporal– Understanding

• Visual-Spatial diagrams• Time

• Graphical – Reading and Interpreting

• Graphs• Tables

numberconceptual

operational

numbercomparative

conceptual

inferential

verbal

visual-spatial

graphical

symbolic

abstract symbolic

graphs

tables

Spatial-Temporal

Direction

Time

Cognitive Model for Dyscalculia

Phase 1 Developing the Screening Tool

• Development of items

• Development of the model

• Available in both paper and electronic versions

Phase 2: Initial Trials

• Involved 19 participants

• Organised into three groupsDyscalculic Dyslexic Control

• Showed no difference between paper and electronic versions

• Showed good discrimination

Phase 3: Further Trials

• Involved 30 participants

• Organised into three equal groups

Dyscalculic Dyslexic Control

• Showed good discrimination

Graph: percentage scores on the subtest

percent

101102

103104

105106

107108

109110

201202

203204

205206

207208

209210

301302

303304

305306

307308

309310

number

20.00

40.00

60.00

80.00

100.00

O dyscalculic

O dyslexic

O control

Phase 4: Further Trials

• 137 students• Large groups/small groups/individuals

• 16 out of 137 identified “at risk” – 8% prevalence

• Geary (2004) 5 - 8%• Desoete et al (2004) 3 - 8%• Butterworth (1999) 4 - 6%• Not post-16

Phase 5: Autumn 2006

Aims of the Trials

• Two distinct aims

1. to collect data on the general population

2. to collect data about individuals already identified as dyscalculic by EP/Assessor.

“Large-Scale” Trials

• Paper-based trials

• Whole classes of students (FE and HE)

• Paper-based and electronic-based versions shown to be identical in nature

• This data establishes the required percentiles for the population

“Small-Scale” Trials

• Dyscalculic students• Extended to “mathematical difficulties”• However other students involved

(neurodiverse)• Learning support tutors completed a sheet

detailing the SpLD identified • “Small-Scale” conducted one-to-one• Electronic-based

Results

“Large-Scale” Trials

• 356 students in H.E. (80 in FE)• Percentiles calculated

– 8th percentile corresponded to a score of 84% – 2nd percentile to a score of 70% on the screener

• “low” and “very low” thresholds, “at risk of dyscalculia”

• “very low” still gives a score unlikely to further reduce confidence– history of very low mathematical self-esteem

“Small-Scale” Trials

• Involved 89 students – 46 in H.E. – 43 in F.E.

• H.E. and F.E. data treated separately

SpLD HE FE Total

Dyscalculia only 13 4 17

Dyscalculia, dyspraxia and ADHD

0 1 1

Dyscalculia and dyslexia 3 2 5

Dyscalculia, dyslexia, dyspraxia 0 1 1

Dyscalculia and dyspraxia 1 1 2

Dyslexia only 9 1 10

Dyslexia and dyspraxia 1 0 1

SpLD HE FE Total

MD only 5 20 25

MD and dyslexia 8 7 15

MD, dyslexia and dysgraphia 0 1 1

MD, dyslexia and dyspraxia 0 3 3

MD, dyspraxia 2 1 3

MD, dyspraxia and Aspergers 0 1 1

Dyspraxia only 1 0 1

No known SpLD 3 0 3

Total 46 43 89

SpLD HE Below threshold

Above threshold

Dyscalculia 17 14 3

Dyslexia Dyspraxia

12 1 11

MD only 5 5

MD and Dyslexia

8 3 5

MD and Dyspraxia

2 2

HE

SpLD FE Below threshold

Above threshold

Dyscalculia 9 9

Dyslexia 1 1

MD 20 19 1

MD and dyslexia

11 8 3

MD and other

2 2

FE

SpLD No. students

Below threshold

Above threshold

DyscalculiaDyspraxia

4 4

Dyslexia/Dyspraxia 1 1

Dyspraxia only 1 1

MD/Dyspraxia 7 4 3

Total 13

Dyspraxia

Profiles

Profiler

Conceptual

Operational Conceptual

Graphical

Tabular

Symbolic Abstraction

Comparative Visual-Spatial

Spatial Directional

Total Score

Comparative Symbolic

Comparative Verbal

Operational Relational

Spatial Temporal

Time Taken: 25 Minutes

Threshold

A typical dyscalculia profile?

01234567

2 Dyscalculic Profiles• Symbolic number comparison

• Inferential operations

• Graph

• Time01234567

Thank you to the 23 institutions of HE and FE