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.