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Counting on Research: Math Learning Disabilities |
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By Sheldon H. Horowitz, Ed.D.
Published: September 1 2005
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During the last two decades we've made astonishing progress in our understanding of reading. We have unraveled the specific skills that underlie reading achievement; we have plotted the trajectory of successful emergent readers as they 'break the code', map sounds onto print, and utilize comprehension strategies to personalize and generalize their learning; and we have applied fascinating non-invasive neuroimaging technologies to reveal the workings of the human brain as it does that thing (or rather, those things) we call 'reading', providing clues to potential windows for instruction and intervention. And there is so much more research to be done.
What then can we say about math? Do we have good research in this area as well? And based on our current knowledge, what do parents and teachers need to know to improve math outcomes for students with learning disabilities (LD)?
A recent edition of the Journal of Learning Disabilities (2005, Volume 38, Number 4, July /August) features articles about early identification and intervention for students with difficulties in mathematics (notice the "d" word used is not "disabilities"). While there is a growing body of research about math disabilities (MD), the studies don't yet all add up (pun intended!) to create a consensus about how to identify and provide effective instruction to students, with and without disabilities, who struggle with math learning.
An NCLD Roundtable
In June 2005, NCLD convened a meeting of prominent Math & LD researchers to:
- review the available research in the area of mathematics and LD
- identify gaps in current knowledge
- identify assessments and instructional interventions that have proved to be effective for struggling learners of math
- recommend the development of new specific tools and strategies that can be used to ensure that children who struggle to learn math receive effective instruction.
The long-term goal of this work will be to delineate the core knowledge and skills that are necessary for students to benefit from mathematics instruction in kindergarten and the elementary grades, and to disseminate this knowledge through high-quality educational products and services, professional development activities, and replication and dissemination activities.
A Quick Look at the Numbers
A 2000 Glenn Commission Report {http://edpubs.ed.gov/} titled "Before It's Too Late: A Report To The Nation From The National Commission On Mathematics And Science Teaching For The 21st Century" reminds us that "America's students must improve their performance in mathematics...if they are to succeed in today's world and if the United States is to stay competitive in an integrated global economy." The 2003 National Assessment of Student Progress (NAEP) shows that only 32% of 4th graders score at or above proficient levels in math. And in 8th grade, the percentage drops to only 29%!
The Big Questions
Of all of the questions that need to be answered, perhaps the first and most urgent has to do with why so many students are doing so poorly in math.
- What roles do factors such as early experience, genetics, social and cultural influences, practice, and an interest or even curiosity with numbers play, if any, in the development of an appreciation of mathematics and in early mastery of foundational skills in mathematics? And given our successes in the field of reading, and lessons learned from early reading intervention:
- Can we develop valid and reliable screening measures that enable early intervention in math?
- What are essential skills and abilities that all children need to acquire to be successful in mathematics?
- What are promising instructional strategies and approaches, based on careful and rigorously conducted studies, for achieving success?
Counting on Answers
The Roundtable experts began to pinpoint some of the most critical areas of knowledge and pressing areas of need with regard to Math & LD. Some of the questions identified for further investigation include:
- What foundational skills and knowledge are essential to achievement in mathematics?
- Is there sufficient evidence to say what math skills/concepts should be taught in Pre-K and K?
- What are the most pressing action items (opportunities and priorities) that merit immediate attention? For example:
- Are there reliable screening tools and interventions that can be built/rolled out now?
- Are there valid math curricula for Pre-K and K and professional development programs that are ready for dissemination/implementation?
Some Very Early Findings (and Impressions)
What we now know from the best available research in MD is that for many children:
- math difficulties are not stable over time
- math disabilities are often seen in children who also struggle with reading
- almost all students with MD have trouble with accurate and automatic retrieval of basic number facts (such as 5 + 4)
While research in the area of MD is still lacking, here are a few questions to ask that can help identify children at risk as early as kindergarten:
- Can the child tell which number in a pair is larger? (magnitude comparison)
- Does the child have effective number sequencing skills? (counting strategies)
- Is the child able to identify numbers fluidly? (automaticity)
- How well does the child 'hold onto' numbers? (working memory)
Early intervention in math is NOT equivalent to reading:
- The demands of math knowledge and skills change over time in quite different ways than in reading.
- Early math skills may not inform later math skill learning to the same extent as often is found in reading.
There are not sufficient research data to support the often and pronounced emphasis that is placed on "visual-spatial' features in early math instruction.
The most effective instructional efforts in math are those that are systematic, explicit and provide feedback. Foundational math proficiencies should be the focus of early instruction. Instructional approaches should include:
- Explicit teaching and teacher modeling, with 'thinking aloud'
- Students should 'retell' what they have learned after instruction
- Teachers should provide authoritative feedback to students
Sheldon Horowitz, Ed.D. is the Director of LD Resources & Essential Information at the National Center for Learning Disabilities. This article first appeared as a Research Roundup column in LD News.
Read all Research Roundup Columns by Dr. Horowitz in the Research Roundup Archive.
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Posted by: Gidena GIrmay on Monday, 28 November 2011