Math Learning Difficulties Research Articles

Analisis Kesulitan Belajar Matematika Dalam Menyelesaikan Soal Materi Operasi Hitung Pecahan Pada Siswa Kelas V SD Negeri Morkepek

The purpose of this study was to determine the difficulty of learning mathematics and the factors that cause mathematics learning difficulties in solving problems of fraction counting operation material in fifth grade students of SD Negeri Morkepek. This research uses a method with a descriptive qualitative approach. This research uses data collection techniques with interview techniques and documentation. The results of this study are 1). Math learning difficulties in using facts, namely students have difficulty in translating fraction story problems into a form of solution according to symbols or fraction numbers correctly. 2). Math learning difficulties in using concepts, namely students are unable to master the prerequisite concepts of fraction calculation operation material regarding determining the KPK. 3). Difficulty in using principles, namely students have difficulty in connecting the concept of fractions into the right calculation relation. 4). Difficulty in using skills, namely students are unable to complete the problem solving according to the fraction calculation procedure.

Using Assistive Technology to Differentiate and Accommodate Students with Special Needs Facing Learning Difficulties in Mathematics

This paper will discuss how assistive technology forms the basis of differentiation and support for students with special needs when conquering specific math learning difficulties. The Department of Special Education utilized a quantitative research design to collect data from 240 teachers through a structured, self-developed questionnaire. The use of simple random sampling maximized representative samples and minimized biases. We established the effects of AT in terms of differentiated instruction, increased student engagement, and an inclusive learning environment. Teachers estimated complex mathematical concepts using AT tools, such as virtual manipulatives and educational apps, as easier to understand and improve student confidence and participation levels. Overall, the findings indicate a need for continuous teacher training and resource allocation to effectively integrate these into a holistic classroom experience. The conclusion is that integrating assistive technology into education is a gateway to ensuring that every special need student receives quality learning in mathematics, thus equalizing access to education. Recommendations call for investment in professional development of the teachers, adequate resources for AT tools, and inculcation of AT provision in curriculum design. Further research should investigate the long-term effects of AT on students' achievement in other subjects.

Supplemental intervention for third-grade English learners with significant problem-solving challenges

This study examined the effect of comprehension strategy instruction on third-grade English Learners’ word-problem-solving performance. The supplemental intervention included modeling how to read the word problem to identify and restate the question, distinguishing relevant from irrelevant information, and collaborating with peers on applying the steps of the strategy to solve word problems. Sixty-six students demonstrating math learning difficulties (MLD) participated in the intervention for 30 min twice a week for 10 weeks (20 total sessions). Trained tutors delivered scripted lessons and checked students’ understanding by asking them questions orally and providing feedback on their answers. Students in the control group ( n = 73) received only general instruction. Results of multilevel regression indicated a significant effect favoring the treatment, suggesting that the approach may facilitate the development of problem-solving skills among students with MLD. Implications for future research and practice are discussed.

Digital Game Applications on Mathematics Achievement of Students at Risk of Mathematics Learning Difficulty

In this study, the effect of four operations-based digital game applications on the basic mathematics skills of students at risk of math learning difficulties was examined. In this context, the study was designed as a mixed research method. Quantitative and qualitative methods were used in two separate interactive phases following an exploratory design scheme. The study was conducted with seven 5th grade students from two primary schools in two provinces in the Mediterranean region. A pre-test was administered to the students and a 10-session intervention was conducted. Finally, a post-test was administered after the intervention. Participants' responses to the pre-test and post-test were analysed. Shapiro-Wilk test and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were used to analyse quantitative data, and descriptive analysis technique was used to analyse qualitative data. At the end of the study, semi-structured interviews were conducted with the parents of the students. The results of the study showed that the intervention positively affected the academic achievement of the students and the interviews with the parents supported this result. At the end of the study, it can be said that mathematics education with students at risk of mathematics learning difficulties gave positive feedback in the learning domain of numbers and operations, and it may be useful to carry out applications in other learning domains.

The Effects of Visual Cueing on Students with and without Math Learning Difficulties in Online Problem Solving: Evidence from Eye Movement.

This study investigated the impact of visual cueing on attention guidance, deep-thinking promotion, and performance optimization in arithmetic word problem solving for students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD). The participants included eight students with MLD and twenty students without MLD who attempted to solve mathematical word problems with and without visual cueing. Eye movements were recorded during the tasks. A repeated-measure design and nonparametric tests were applied to enhance the statistical power of the study. The data analysis results indicated that visual cueing effectively guided and sustained the attention of students with MLD, reducing their off-task duration. However, it showed limited influence in facilitating deep thinking and performance improvement for these students. There were no significant attention-guidance or performance-improvement effects observed in the problem-solving processes of students without MLD, who initially demonstrated better concentration levels and performance. The potential explanations for these findings are further discussed in this paper.

A Systematic Review of Instructional Interventions Applied to Primary School Students with Mathematics Learning Difficulties

This study was undertaken to systematically analyze instructional interventions employed to enhance the mathematical performance of elementary school students with Math learning difficulties (MLD). Over 20 years (2003-2023), 34 articles that met the inclusion criteria were included in the analysis. The articles in the study were analyzed in terms of methodological and intervention characteristics. Methodological characteristics were analyzed in two categories: participant characteristics and tests for identifying students. Intervention characteristics were analyzed in six categories: grade level, instructional intervention, implementer, implementation method, intervention duration, and mathematics learning area. It was found that the articles examined generally targeted students with MLD, and standardized achievement tests were used to identify students. The articles reviewed determined that third grade students were studied as participant students and strategy teaching was frequently used as an intervention programme. In the reviewed studies, the instructional interventions applied to students with math learning difficulties were implemented mainly by expert implementers in small-group teaching. It was observed that the number of sessions for instructional interventions ranged from 4 sessions to 96 sessions, with an average intervention duration of 16.91 hours. Finally, it was determined that the instructional interventions in the analyzed studies mainly focused on the learning domain of numbers and operations as the mathematics learning area.

Heterogeneity in children at risk of math learning difficulties.

This study recruited 428 Singaporean children at risk of math learning difficulties (MLD; Mage = 83.9 months, SDage = 4.35 months; 41% female). Using a factor mixture model that considered both quantitative and qualitative differences in math ability, two qualitatively different groups were identified: one with generalized difficulties across different math skills and the other with more focal difficulties in arithmetic fluency. Reading, working memory capacity, and numeracy (number line estimation skills and numerical discrimination) uniquely explained group membership. Children within each group differed in the extent of difficulties they exhibited, with numeracy variables differentially contributing to math ability in each group. Findings speak against a dimensional view of MLD and underscore the conceptual limitations of using basic numeracy performance to profile learning difficulties.

Cognitive Profiles of Children with Isolated and Comorbid Learning Difficulties in Reading and Math: a Meta-analysis

The causes underlying comorbid learning difficulties in reading (RD) and math (MD) are still a matter of debate. Based on current research, two models for the relation of the cognitive profile of isolated and combined learning difficulties (RDMD) are discussed. Regarding the “multi-deficit model”, the profile of RDMD is characterized by the sum of domain-specific core deficits of RD and MD (additivity) as well as shared domain-general risk factors of RD and MD resulting in less severe deficits than expected under additivity (under-additivity). The “three independent disorders model” explains RDMD as a distinct learning disorder, showing a separate cognitive profile with distinct and/or more severe deficits, compared to the sum of RD’s and MD’s profiles (over-additivity). To evaluate these approaches, a meta-analysis including 74 studies, examining children aged 6–12, was conducted. Separate group comparisons for the three subcomponents in the cognitive profiles—reading, math, executive functions (EF)—were considered. Linear hypothesis testing revealed different results regarding the three subcomponents of the cognitive profiles of children with isolated vs. combined learning difficulties: Whereas RDMDs’ deficits in reading and math represented the sum of the deficits in the isolated groups (additivity), there was some evidence that RDMDs’ deficits in EF skills corresponded to under-additivity. Furthermore, group differences in math skills were more pronounced in symbolic than in non-symbolic math tasks, whereas in reading, group differences were larger in phonological processing and reading than in rapid automatized naming and language skills. Results are discussed in terms of intervention options for RDMD.

Dysfunctions associated with the intraparietal sulcus and a distributed network in individuals with math learning difficulties: An ALE meta-analysis.

Math learning difficulty (MLD) is a learning disorder characterized by persistent impairments in the understanding and application of numbers independent of intelligence or schooling. The current study aims to review existing neuroimaging studies to characterize the neurobiological basis in MLD for their quantity and arithmetic dysfunctions. We identified a total of 24 studies with 728 participants throughthe literature. Using the activation likelihood estimate (ALE) method, we found that the most consistent neurobiological dysfunction in MLD was observed in the right intraparietal sulcus (IPS) with distinct patterns of the anterior and posterior aspects. Meanwhile, neurobiological dysfunctions were also observed in a distributed network includingthe fusiformgyrus, inferior temporal gyrus, insula, prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, and claustrum. Our results suggest a core dysfunction in the right anterior IPS and left fusiform gyrus with atypically upregulated functions in brain regions for attention, working memory, visual processing, and motivation, serving as the neurobiological basis of MLD.

Working memory and numeracy training for children with math learning difficulties: Evidence from a large-scale implementation in the classroom.

Working memory and numeracy training for children with math learning difficulties: Evidence from a large-scale implementation in the classroom.

The influence of teachers’ math instructional practices on English learners’ reading comprehension and math problem-solving performance in Spanish and English

ABSTRACT We explored the role of three math instructional practices by teachers (explicit instruction, guided practice, peer interaction) in predicting current Spanish and English reading comprehension and later Spanish and English math problem-solving performance of English learners (ELs). In this study, math was taught in Spanish. We had 26 teachers and 319 Spanish-speaking ELs from dual language classrooms. Of concern was whether the teachers’ use of these three practices in the first year of the study yielded significant predictions in ELs’ Spanish and English reading comprehension in the current year and math problem-solving accuracy in the subsequent years. Our multilevel modeling results indicated that math skills could predict reading performance and that early calculation in Spanish and English significantly predicted later problem-solving performance. The results also indicated a trade-off regarding the language of instruction and math ability. Further, such instructional practices were more likely to benefit ELs without learning difficulties in math (LDM) than those with LDM. These findings suggest that when teachers use the three instructional practices in early years, these practices need to account for the language of instruction and the continuum of student abilities related to math in order to better improve ELs’ problem-solving accuracy in later years.

Working memory and arithmetic impairments in children with FMR1 premutation and gray zone alleles.

ABSTRACT.Expansive mutations in familial mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene have been associated with different phenotypes. Full mutations are associated with intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder; premutations are associated with math learning difficulties and working memory impairments. In gray zone, neuropsychological development has not yet been described.Objectives:This study aimed to describe the frequency of FMR1 premutation and gray zone alleles in a school population sample representing a broad spectrum of variation in math achievement and detail school achievement and cognitive performance in the children identified with FMR1 premutation or gray zone alleles.Methods:We described a two-phase study. In the first phase, 2,195 school-age children were screened for math achievement. In the second phase, 378 children with normal intelligence were neuropsychologically assessed and genotyped for FMR1. Of these, 121 children (61 girls) performed below percentile 25 in mathematics (MD group) and 257 children (146 girls) performed above percentile 25 (control group).Results:Four pupils presented expanded alleles, one premutation and three gray zone alleles. The girl with the premutation and one boy with a gray zone allele presented impairments in working memory and arithmetic performance below percentile 6, compatible with the diagnosis of developmental dyscalculia. These children’s difficulties were not associated with inaccuracy of nonsymbolic number representations or literacy impairments. Dyscalculia in these children seems to be associated mainly with working memory impairments.Conclusions: FMR1 expansions in the gray zone may contribute to dyscalculia in otherwise healthy and normally intelligent children.

Supplemental Material for Working Memory and Numeracy Training for Children With Math Learning Difficulties: Evidence From a Large-Scale Implementation in the Classroom

Supplemental Material for Working Memory and Numeracy Training for Children With Math Learning Difficulties: Evidence From a Large-Scale Implementation in the Classroom

Analysis of Math Learning Difficulties In Students Mts N 1 Pandeglang In The Covid-19 Pandemic

This study is a descriptive qualified study conducted on class VII students at MTsN 1 Pandeglang who are conducting online learning with the aim of knowing the factors that cause math learning difficulties in students. Data collection techniques use questionnaire sheets, interviews, and documentation. The sample in this study was 30 students of class VII. Results from research show that students have difficulty learning mathematics. The results of the analysis found five factors that affect student learning difficulties, namely teacher influence 36.67%, family to children's learning 48.89%, student interest when learning mathematics 34.4%, student concentration when learning mathematics 43.4%, students' confidence when studying mathematics 45.56%. So in conclusion, the cause of the problem of learning mathematics based online in class VII in MTsN 1 Pandeglang is external factors and internal factors. External factors include inattention from parents and inappropriate teacher methods when teaching and learning. Internal factors include lack of interest in learning, weak concentration of students, and lack of self-confidence.

Comparative Study of Visual-Spatial Working Memory Perception in Normal Students and Students with special learning disabilities

Background and Aims: Visual-spatial ability is a complex process involving several interconnected parts that develop with the development of working memory. These processes are performed by students with learning disabilities differently from normal students. The purpose of this study was to compare the visual-spatial perception of working memory between normal students and students with special learning disabilities. Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare visual-spatial perception of working memory between normal students and students with special learning disabilities. Methods: The research method was causal-comparative. The statistical population of the present study was all female and male elementary school students aged 10-12 years with math learning difficulties and dyslexia, and normal students in Khoy. The sample of this study consisted of 90 elementary school students, of whom 30 cases had math disabilities, 30 cases were dyslexic, and 30 cases were normal students. Students with learning disabilities were selected through available sampling in the Learning Disorders Center. Normal students were selected by random cluster sampling from Khoy schools. To diagnose and evaluate mathematical learning disability, the K-Mat test was used and the syndrome checklist was used to diagnose dyslexia. Corsi Blocks Task software was also used to measure the visual-spatial perception of working memory. The One-way ANOVA was used for data analysis. Results: The results showed that the difference between normal students, dyslexic students, and those with visual-spatial abilities was significant (F=10.11, p<0.001). However, there was no significant difference between students with math disorder and dyslexia in the visual-spatial ability of working memory (P> 0.34). Conclusion: Students with math learning difficulties and dyslexia had poor performance in the visual-spatial perception of working memory compared to normal students.

Development of Numeracy and Literacy Skills in Early Childhood—A Longitudinal Study on the Roles of Home Environment and Familial Risk for Reading and Math Difficulties

This study examines the direct and indirect effects of home numeracy and literacy environment, and parental factors (parental reading and math difficulties, and parental education) on the development of several early numeracy and literacy skills. The 265 participating Finnish children were assessed four times between ages 2.5 and 6.5. Children’s skills in counting objects, number production, number sequence knowledge, number symbol knowledge, number naming, vocabulary, print knowledge, and letter knowledge were assessed individually. Parents (N = 202) reported on their education level, learning difficulties in math and reading (familial risk, FR), and home learning environment separately for numeracy (HNE) and literacy (HLE) while their children were 2.5 years old and again while they were 5.5 years old. The results revealed both within-domain and cross-domain associations. Parents’ mathematical difficulties (MD) and reading difficulties (RD) and home numeracy environment predicted children’s numeracy and literacy skill development within and across domains. An evocative effect was found as well; children’s skills in counting, number sequence knowledge, number symbol identification, and letter knowledge negatively predicted later home numeracy and literacy activities. There were no significant indirect effects from parents’ RD, MD, or educational level on children’s skills via HLE or HNE. Our study highlights that parental RD and MD, parental education, and the home learning environment form a complex pattern of associations with children’s numeracy and literacy skills starting already in toddlerhood.

The neural basis of number word processing in children and adults

The ability to map number words to their corresponding quantity representations is a gatekeeper for children’s future math success (Spaepen et al., 2018). Without number word knowledge at school entry, children are at greater risk for developing math learning difficulties (Chu et al., 2019). In the present study, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to examine the neural basis for processing the meaning of spoken number words and its developmental trajectory in 4- to 10-year-old children, and in adults. In a number word-quantity mapping paradigm, participants listened to number words while simultaneously viewing quantities that were congruent or incongruent to the number word they heard. Whole brain analyses revealed that adults showed a neural congruity effect with greater neural activation for incongruent relative to congruent trials in anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left intraparietal sulcus (LIPS). In contrast, children did not show a significant neural congruity effect. However, a region of interest analysis in the child sample demonstrated age-related increases in the neural congruity effect, specifically in the LIPS. The positive correlation between neural congruity in LIPS and age was stronger in children who were already attending school, suggesting that developmental changes in LIPS function are experience-dependent.

Linear and nonlinear profiles of weak behavioral and neural differentiation between numerical operations in children with math learning difficulties

Mathematical knowledge is constructed hierarchically during development from a basic understanding of addition and subtraction, two foundational and inter-related, but semantically distinct, numerical operations. Early in development, children show remarkable variability in their numerical problem-solving skills and difficulties in solving even simple addition and subtraction problems are a hallmark of math learning difficulties. Here, we use novel quantitative analyses to investigate whether less distinct representations are associated with poor problem-solving abilities in children during the early stages of math-skill acquisition. Crucially, we leverage dimensional and categorical analyses to identify linear and nonlinear neurobehavioral profiles of individual differences in math skills. Behaviorally, performance on the two different numerical operations was less differentiated in children with low math abilities, and lower problem-solving efficiency stemmed from weak evidence-accumulation during problem-solving. Children with low numerical abilities also showed less differentiated neural representations between addition and subtraction operations in multiple cortical areas, including the fusiform gyrus, intraparietal sulcus, anterior temporal cortex and insula. Furthermore, analysis of multi-regional neural representation patterns revealed significantly higher network similarity and aberrant integration of representations within a fusiform gyrus-intraparietal sulcus pathway important for manipulation of numerical quantity. These findings identify the lack of distinct neural representations as a novel neurobiological feature of individual differences in children's numerical problem-solving abilities, and an early developmental biomarker of low math skills. More generally, our approach combining dimensional and categorical analyses overcomes pitfalls associated with the use of arbitrary cutoffs for probing neurobehavioral profiles of individual differences in math abilities.

Number Sense Makes All the Difference: Calculation Using Number Sense by Pupils With and Without Learning Difficulties in Math

The research examined the calculation methods used by pupils in Grades 3–6 when they were presented with problems that could be worked out efficiently and flexibly by applying number sense. The study was conducted with a convenience sample of 179 pupils between the ages 7 years and 10 months to 12 years and 10 months. in mainstream education in Israel, who attended schools belonging to different sectors and situated in different areas of the country with varied socioeconomic profiles. The test included addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division problems that pupils were asked to solve mentally, in writing and by identifying correctly and incorrectly solved problem. Some of the problems presented pupils with opportunities to apply number sense. As expected, the research findings showed significant differences in calculation accuracy between pupils with and without learning difficulties, especially in multiplication and division tasks. Still, the performance of pupils with difficulties in the accuracy variable was above average, and there was high variance within this group. We found significant differences between pupils with and without difficulties in the calculation-speed variable in all tasks and in all calculation modalities. One of the implications is that pupils, and especially those with difficulties, should be afforded enough time to work out problems, and should be presented with tasks that would enable them to use number sense in order to retrieve prior knowledge and apply it.

Pembelajaran Online pada Masa Pandemi Covid-19 Meningkatkan Kesulitan Belajar Matematika pada Siswa Sekolah Dasar

Online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic made elementary students even more difficult to master math material. The purpose of this study was to describe how online learning can increase the difficulty of learning mathematics for elementary school students. This research was conducted in a descriptive qualitative manner involving 31 students, 9 parents, and class IV teachers of MIN 4 East Lampung. Interviews and documentation are used to obtain primary and secondary data. Data analysis was carried out in three stages, namely reduction, display, and data verification. The findings of this study are 1) there has been a decrease in mathematics learning outcomes in elementary school students as a result of online learning, 2) an increase in mathematics learning difficulties experienced by students in online learning, and 3) aspects that cause an increase in mathematics learning difficulties in online learning. Thus online learning at the beginning of the Covid-19 epidemic had a negative impact on increasing math learning difficulties for elementary school students.