First-Line Screener for Dyscalculia Update on trials Autumn 2006
Mar 28, 2015
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