Time Table
Rob Jennings
Assessment for Maths Teaching Intervention
Getting a diagnosis is not enough… we need to understand where the maths breaks down for the learner.
- The process of assessment of a learner's maths abilities
- Online and paper-based Maths screeners
- Who can diagnose for Dyscalculia and is being diagnosed enough?
- Assessment for teaching intervention
- The new Maths and Dyscalculia Assessment
Often assessments do not provide enough information to help us to develop a focused intervention plan or knowing where to begin.
This presentation looks at the modular nature of maths learning and how this can be represented using the 'Jenga Effect'.
We will also understand what an effective intervention plan should look like.
Finally, we plan to have a sneak preview of the new 'Maths and Dyscalculia Assessment' publication, which is due to be released in July this year by Jessica Kingsley Publishers.
Room:
Cat Eadle
An Introduction to Dyscalculia and Maths Difficulties.
The seminar will include definitions of dyscalculia, maths difficulties, and maths anxiety. We will then look at the indicators of dyscalculia or maths difficulties and the impact of co-occurrence.
- What is dyscalculia
- What are maths difficulties
- Dyscalculia, checklists, screeners, assessment for intervention and diagnostic assessment
- What can parents do to help
- What can educators do to help
The seminar will include definitions of dyscalculia, maths difficulties, and maths anxiety. We will then look at the indicators of dyscalculia or maths difficulties and the impact of co-occurrence. We will also look at checklists and screening tools, diagnosis, and assessment for intervention. We will finish with teaching intervention strategies for schools or tutors to support in the classroom and also share ways parents can support them at home.
Room:
Jo Van Herwegen
Identifying and Supporting Dyscalculia in School Settings
This talk presents evidence-based tools and strategies for identifying and supporting students with dyscalculia in the classroom.
- Dyscalculia
- Interventions
- Evidence-based Practice
- Identification
- Toolkits
This talk will explore how to identify students with dyscalculia in the classroom, drawing on the latest research evidence in developmental mathematics. I will introduce the ADD-UP toolkit, a resource co-produced with educators, which provides practical strategies and screening tools to help teachers recognise early signs of dyscalculia. ADD-UP stands for Awareness of Developmental Dyscalculia Uplifting Practice. In addition, I will present findings from our recent meta-analyses of targeted interventions, which highlight effective strategies for supporting students with dyscalculia. These interventions focus on enhancing specific mathematical abilities such as number sense, arithmetic fluency, and problem-solving. I will also introduce the MetaSENse database, a freely available resource for teachers and parents, which summarises evidence-based practices for supporting children with Special Educational Needs, including dyscalculia.
Together, this talk will provide attendees with research-based, practical tools to better support students with dyscalculia, ensuring more inclusive and effective classroom learning experiences.
Room:
Karen Go-Soco
Why are fractions so difficult and what can we do to help?
Fractions often prove to be a challenging aspect of maths. They can cause confusion and anxiety for many children, leading to a lack of confidence and reluctance to engage. In this presentation, I’ll identify some of the specific difficulties that children encounter when working with fractions and will highlight mistakes and misconceptions that are commonly made.
- Understand the specific difficulties that arise in fraction work
- Understand how to support the development of fraction sense
- Support correct thinking through the use of concrete resources
- Bring fun to fractions through practical activities and games
- For parents and anyone supporting children with maths difficulties
A lot of exploration and practise is often needed to develop fraction sense – to be able to recognise and visualise fractions correctly, and to be able to reason about them. This is necessary in order to provide a firm foundation for future work, such as calculating with fractions and linking them to decimals and percentages. I’ll suggest ideas for practical activities, using simple resources, which can help to develop this basic understanding. I’ll also share some games that can be used to provide more practise and reinforcement in a fun way. A pdf of all the activities and games will be available after the event.
Room:
Judy Hornigold
How to develop number sense
Room:
Marijke Walters
Making Maths Work for Learners with Maths Difficulties.
In this session, I will demonstrate practical strategies using basic materials, equipment, and manipulatives to help learners grasp key GCSE maths concepts. These methods have led to countless “Oh! Now I get it!” moments, and I hope they will empower you to support your children, family members, learners, and colleagues more effectively.
- Hands-on strategies using simple materials and manipulatives
- Breaks down maths without making it feel childish.
- Supports GCSE learners with dyscalculia or maths difficulties effectively
- Practical techniques for parents, tutors, and educators.
- Creates “lightbulb moments” with clear, accessible methods.
The biggest challenge in supporting older children and adults with maths is finding the right approach that is both effective and sensitive to their needs. As a highly experienced secondary maths teacher, I once believed dyscalculia was a myth—anyone could succeed in maths with the right teaching. However, my perspective changed when I truly understood the impact of a lack of number sense, a key factor in dyscalculia.
Through years of teaching students with dyscalculia and maths learning difficulties, I have learned that success comes from breaking concepts down even further—without making it feel like “baby maths.” The learners I work with are intelligent; they have simply never been shown maths in a way that makes sense to them.
Room:
Kate Davies
Dyslexia can cause math anxiety!
Dyslexia can cause math anxiety due to cognitive processing difficulties, particularly with memory, speed, and symbol recognition. Many individuals with dyslexia have difficulties with working memory, which makes it difficult to hold numbers in their mind while solving multi-step problems, especially in timed tests or fast-paced classrooms.
Processing speed is another issue, as individuals with dyslexia often take longer to read and interpret numbers, symbols, or math word problems.
Symbol recognition difficulties can also contribute to math anxiety. Misreading these symbols can lead to mistakes, reinforcing a fear of failure.
Dyslexia can make reading comprehension and solving math word problems challenging.
This session will explore this further.
Room:
Janet Goring
Dyscalculia or a specific learning difficulty in mathematics?: Is there a difference?
- What can we learn from current research about maths difficulties?
- Is there a difference between dyscalculia and a specific learning difficulty in mathematics?
- How can we ensure that all individuals with difficulties receive support?
- What do teachers, schools, workplaces and policymakers need to know?
A working group on maths difficulties and dyscalculia set up by SASC (Specific Learning Difficulties Assessment Committee) has brought together representatives from university departments, course providers, professional bodies, specialist teacher assessors and psychologists all working in the field of maths difficulties. The group has considered recent research and lessons learned since the previous guidance to inform the new definition.
Room:
Judy Hornigold
What works for the dyscalculic learner?
Room:
Pete Jarrett
The language of maths
Language development is fundamental to maths attainment. But why? How can thinking about this make us better maths specialists.
- How important is the development of language in maths learning.
- Can you do maths in Kernewek?
- Can you learn maths in Kernewek?
- How does language support mathematical cognition?
- When do you use your fingers to help you count?
Language development is fundamental to maths attainment. It is a domain general factor that we often don’t consider because we focus on the numbers and not the words we use to communicate the numbers.
How does this sit is our understanding of dyscalculia and maths learning difficulties, and what are the questions we need to ask?
What language do you count in? Is it the same language you communicate mathematics in? What if it is different for some people? And what about the language of mathematics? Suddenly, it is complicated.
Un, dau, tri or onan, dew, tri?
This talk explores the development of early counting and the link with language development drawing on research in India and Cymru, and unearths some big questions we don’t know all the answers to yet.