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- abstract below
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Dyslexia and automatized maths facts knowledge

Dorian Yeo.

Emerson House, London. dyeo@blueyonder.co.uk

Abstract

Many dyslexic pupils have difficulty recalling maths facts. They do not seem to store facts as verbal associations which can be instantly recalled. In addition, many dyslexics do not use efficient strategies for deriving maths facts. Instead, they rely on unitary counting strategies. This paper will start by outlining the cognitive difficulties which underpin the problems which dyslexics experience in learning maths facts. It will go on to examine: Recent cognitive and neuro-scientific research which explores facts which are represented as verbal associations Research which explores the links between poor working memory and endemic counting responses in calculation Further research which extends key findings concerning working memory to show that a reliance on prolonged sequences of counting does not lead to automatized maths facts knowledge - and, instead, 'dooms' pupils to using counting methods. Linked to the above theoretical findings, the paper will also briefly examine: Effective reasoning-based methods for teaching maths facts. Particular attention will be paid to securing efficient knowledge of the subtraction facts and the multiplication facts. The role that reasoning approaches to acquiring maths facts plays in fostering the number sense of pupils and in building the foundations for subsequent calculation proficiency in maths.

Disclaimer: all the abstracts presented here have satisfied the academic committee as appropriate for presentation at an international conference. However, the material reflects the views of the authors, not necessarily those of the academic committee or the BDA. No endorsement of any approach, product or service is intended or implied.

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