A Longitudinal Study of Mathematical Competencies in Children With Specific Mathematics Difficulties Versus Children With Comorbid Mathematics and Reading Difficulties

Abstract

Mathematical competencies of 180 children were examined at 4 points between 2nd and 3rd grades (age range between 7 and 9 years). Children were initially classified into one of 4 groups: math difficulties but normal reading (MD only), math and reading difficulties (MD-RD), reading difficulties but normal math (RD only), and normal achievement in math and reading (NA). The groups did not differ significantly in rate of development. However, at the end of 3rd grade the MD only group performed better than the MD-RD group in problem solving but not in calculation. The NA and RD only groups performed better than the MD-RD group in most areas. Deficiencies in fact mastery and calculation fluency, in particular, are defining features of MD, with or without RD.

Individual variance in responsiveness to early computerized mathematics intervention

“…As known, neurobiological deficits underlying MD can vary among individuals (e.g., von Aster & Shalev, 2007). Environmental, domain-general and domain-specific cognitive skills, malleability, and other general factors can also explain heterogeneity in early number skills performance Jordan et al, 2003;Kaufmann et al, 2013;Kleemans et al, 2011;Landerl & Moll, 2010;Moll, Snowling, Göbel, & Hulme, 2015;Pennington, 2006; see also …”

“…Proficiency-levels in critical early number skills distinguish the poorest-performing children from low-performing ones (Geary, 20 2011b; Kaufmann et al, 2013). Additionally, the children with (or at risk for) MD are likely to form a heterogeneous group in terms of their neurocognitive deficits (e.g., Ansari, Holloway, Price, & van Eimeren, 2008;Fletcher, Lyons, Fuchs, & Barnes, 2007;von Aster & Shalev, 2007), domain-general and domainspecific deficits (e.g., Kaufmann et al, 2013;von Aster, 2000), potential comorbidity problems (e.g., Jordan et al, 2003;Kleemans, Segers, & Verhoeven, 2011;Landerl & Moll, 2010;Moll, Kunze, Neuhoff, Bruder, & Schulte-Körne, 2014;Pennington, 2006), and responsiveness to intervention (Fuchs et al, 2015;McMaster, Fuchs, Fuchs, & Compton, 2005). Due to the variation in these factors underlying deficits and the diverse nature of MD themselves, identification should be multifaceted to uncover the specificity of the child's difficulty (see Fig.…”

“…Furthermore, if specific assessment tools are used, the initial performance level should be compared to age-relevant reference data in order to define the level of difficulty. As mentioned, both the initial performance level and the responsiveness to intervention in the target group of children seem to be heterogeneous (e.g., Kaufmann et al, 2013;Jordan et al, 2003;Landerl & Moll, 2010). This heterogeneity decreases the likelihood of having two or more comparable intervention groups in a study.…”

“…After acquiring detailed knowledge of the effects of single intervention components, the effects of combined training for domain-general and domain-specific skills could be tested. CAI could also be developed to address deficits in nonnumerical, numerical, and other domain-specific cognitive skills (i.e., reading skills) because evidence of the underlying factors of comorbid problems is also rapidly increasing (e.g., Jordan et al, 2003;Pennington, 2006;Moll et al, 2014;Moll et al, 2015;Willcutt et al, 2010;Willcutt et al, 2013). However, there is no clear evidence of interventional outcomes from such combined training (cf.…”

“…The origin of mathematical deficits, performance levels, and the needs for support in early number skills vary greatly among children having (or at risk for) mathematics difficulties (e.g., Jordan, Hanich, & Kaplan, 2003;von Aster & Shalev, 2007). Accordingly, early intervention programs should be adapted to take into account the individuality and the nature of children's problems in terms of duration, intensity, and numerical as well as non-numerical cognitive training content (e.g., .…”