Multiplication facts and number sense in children with mathematics learning disabilities and typical achievers

Abstract

Two age groups of children with math learning disabilities (MLD) (mean age (years; months): 12;2 [sixth graders], and 13;10 [eighth graders]) and four age groups of typically achieving (TA) children (mean age: 7;8, 8;9, 9;7 and 11;9, for second, third, fourth, and sixth graders, respectively) as well as adults performed a simple multiplication production test. Four aspects of performance were compared: retrieval vs. procedural frequency, accuracy, response times, and error plausibility (implausible errors were defined as either far, five- or parity-rule violating, non-table, or decade inconsistent errors). MLD sixth graders performed similar to TA second graders. MLD eighth graders improved only on easy problems (i.e., problems involving numbers ≤5 and duplicate numbers) and performed similar to TA fourth graders. Number sense development in children with MLD is discussed.