Risk and Resilience

What a fantastic 3 days at the European Dyslexia Association conference in Athens! So many things to think about.  Here’s part 1 of my musings:

The Delphi definition of dyslexia, gives us Table 4: “a risk and probabilities assessment practice framework” and this framework came up many times over the three days, in various different ways. Here is my summary of the common ideas from many different sources listed below- the challenge: how to balance them! I am looking forward to final information from SASC about our new definition of dyslexia and dyscalculia and report writing moving forward to help with this.

---

What really stood out for me was the research by Aro et al. (2024) which has examined the long-term mental health outcomes of individuals diagnosed with learning difficulties in childhood. It highlights that children diagnosed with these disabilities are at a greater risk for mental health issues, particularly when it comes to difficulties with mathematics (as compared to reading). These were new results to me , but (on reflection) not surprising, given what we know about maths anxiety for example. 

So, to what purpose our assessments to support these risks and to increase the resilience factors – categorical, exploratory or action-oriented? Can we achieve all three? This understanding of the multifaceted and co-occurring nature of SPLDs, which a dimensional approach, as I have discussed previously, would give us, and the other users of our assessments, a broader understanding in order to accommodate each student’s unique learning profile. A holistic understanding leads to a deeper understanding of how cognitive factors, along with risk and resilience factors, interact. This will lead to better-targeted teaching methods, ultimately improving outcomes for people with dyslexia and dyscalculia. How to do this? An ongoing debate that I am trying to achieve: the starting point? Background information and listening!

As assessors, we need to be so mindful of how we contribute to this and how privileged we are in this process.

If you have any queries or questions about dyscalculia or dyslexia, please do get in touch- rebecca@educationaccess.co.uk

#Dyslexia and #Dyscalculia

‘The Matthew Effect’

We have often discussed the ‘Matthew effect’ in dyslexia. This phrase is used to describe the ever-widening gap in reading skills that develop from the small gap which might exist very early in life. However, I had not thought of this in terms of dyscalculia or maths difficulties until Daniel Ansari made a passing comment as part of the Dyscalculia awareness day, organised by the wonderful Cat and Rob at the Dyscalculia network

The Matthew effect is certainly not uniform across all students or contexts. Factors like teaching methods, access to resources, and individual differences can play a role. A fact provided by Brian Butterworth at the Dyslexia and Dyscalculia show in March 2024, and which supports this, is that of those born in Singapore, 10% have difficulties with maths. But, a whopping 90% of those born in the Dominican Republic have maths difficulties! 

The attainment gap in maths for disadvantaged primary aged pupils in England was brought home to me in the recent Guardian article: https://www.theguardian.com/education/2024/mar/04/disadvantaged-pupils-further-behind-in-maths-since-covid-english-study-finds

This gap is getting bigger, bigger than it was before COVID-19. As with literacy, the early advantages can snowball: students who grasp initial mathematical concepts easily can approach more challenging opportunities and gain positive reinforcement, solidifying their understanding. This can lead to them progressing faster than those who struggle initially. While those who struggle face frustration and disengagement, with the building blocks not being secure before the class attempts to build on them in more advanced topics. The pre-skills needed for high level maths are not in place. This can lead to avoiding maths and maths anxiety, all hindering their progress and further widening the gap. 

Addressing the Matthew Effect:

• Let’s start with Brian Butterworth’s idea of testing all young children with a dot enumeration task. His evidence shows that this will predict those who will have a difficulty with maths. Then we can intervene early!
• Early identification and intervention: Providing targeted support to children who show signs of mathematical difficulties, to prevent the gap from widening and actually closing the gap. You may need to go further back than you think to plug those gaps! See ‘intervention top tips’ for primary, secondary and further education.  https://dyscalculianetwork.com/dyscalculia-for-educators/
• Creating engaging learning environments: Making maths enjoyable through interactive activities and games can motivate children who may have lost some of the wonder of maths through being ‘left behind’ earlier in their education. Great selection of games here from the wonderful Karen: https://www.fixitmaths.com/resources.html
• ‘Numbalee’ is a compact pack of number games that reinforce place value and the four main operations, https://numbalee.com/#about-section
• There are a number of apps and assistive technologies that may help: I Have a Numeracy Difficulty and with Maths, What can Help? (callscotland.org.uk)
• Help with constructing and deconstructing numbers: starting with beads and moving onto numbers. Try this for free with your students (log in with your name): here:https://funmaths.research.sc/participant/login/dynamic/B869728D-8FB0-40A2-8960-10827E220781

Supporting maths anxiety: 

• Pass on a positive attitude, such as the “I can’t do it… yet” attitude, known as a growth mindset and supporting a ‘growth zone’ attitude: https://educationaccess.co.uk/toasty-tips/ or see https://educationaccess.co.uk/maths-anxiety/

If you have any queries or questions about dyscalculia or dyslexia, please do get in touch- rebecca@educationaccess.co.uk

Dyscalculia and dyslexia

Today, March 3^rd, 2023, is Dyscalculia awareness day, often seen as the poor relation to dyslexia. Many people have heard of dyslexia, but not dyscalculia so it is fantastic that we are raising awareness of this specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

Dyscalculia is a specific an persistent difficulty in understanding numbers which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with mathematics.

Dyslexia is a learning difficulty that primarily affects the skills involved in accurate and fluent word reading and spelling. Characteristic features of dyslexia are difficulties in phonological awareness, verbal memory and verbal processing speed. 

It is the exception rather than the rule that a person will have only one specific learning difficulty: co-occurrence is the rule, rather than the exception. So it is not uncommon to have both dyslexia and dyscalculia, or what we may think is dyscalculia, may be the impact of other SpLDs, but why is this the case?

General domain areas

These are the underlying brain skills that make it possible for us to think, remember and learn, so it is not surprising that these domain areas will impact on both maths and literacy based activities. Domain general areas include:

• underlying ability;
• working memory (the ability to maintain and manipulate information in active attention);
• phonological awareness (ability to accurately identify, discriminate between and manipulate the separate units of sounds in words, known as ‘phonemes’),
• verbal processing speed (ability to accurately and fluently retrieve well-known phonological responses from his long-term memory in response to a visual stimulus);
• processing speed (the ability to access both simple and complex cognitive tasks, quickly, accurately and fluently); 
• phonological memory (ability to identify accurately, retain briefly, and repeat sequences of sound)

For dyslexia, there will be a focus on different aspects of reading, writing and spelling: the specific areas for dyslexia.

When assessing for dyscalculia, we look at the same general domain areas, but with a specific focus on number sense: intuition about numbers and their relationships, a necessary pre-cursor to counting. Difficulties in this area make dyscalculia distinguishable from other, more general, difficulties with maths. 

Daniel Ansari argues that each of the general domain areas associated with specific neural networks support learning and academic achievement, and that difficulties in one or more of these domains can lead to SPLDs. This dimensional approach to specific learning disabilities (SPLDs) is a framework that emphasizes the underlying cognitive and neurological processes that contribute to learning difficulties.

Ansari suggests that SPLDs are not discrete categories, but rather reflect a continuum of cognitive and neural functioning. Rather than simply categorizing individuals as having dyslexia, dyscalculia, or another specific learning disability, a dimensional approach can help to identify the specific areas of cognitive processing that are affected. It is not surprising if there is a difficulty with processing speed, for example, that this will impact across the curriculum: if a person has a difficulty with accessing both simple and complex cognitive tasks, quickly, accurately and fluently, this can affect maths and reading fluency. 

One key advantage of a dimensional approach is that it allows for a more nuanced understanding of the complex cognitive profiles of individuals with SPLDs. This can be particularly useful for developing individualised interventions that target the specific cognitive processes that are most impaired in each individual, particularly when the person does not meet the criteria for dyscalculia or dyslexia: we must consider alternative explanations in order to make recommendations and move the person forward with their learning or work. By identifying these specific cognitive strengths and weaknesses, educators can develop interventions that are tailored to the individual’s unique profile and needs.

• Please do join me on 2^nd and 3^rd May where, as part of PATOSS, I will be discussing co-occurring conditions with dyscalculia (dyslexia and ADHD), looking at the dimensional approach (such is the overlap between SpLDs) and the factors that link these areas, as well as what makes dyscalculia specific. 
• I will also be speaking as part the Positive Dyslexia Conference at Edge Hill University on using the Woodcock Jonson, 4^th edition when assessing for maths difficulties.