Strategy choice in solving arithmetic word problems: Are there differences between students with learning disabilities, G– V poor performance and typical achievement students. Learning Disability Quarterly

Abstract. This study was designed to test whether there are differences between children with arithmetic learning disabili-ties, garden-variety (G-V) poor performance and typically achieving children in strategy choice when solving arithmetic word problems. Using the standard-score discrepancy method (differences between IQ and achievement standard scores), sam-ples were selected of dyscalculic, G-V poor mathematics per-formance, and typically achieving students. The groups were compared to analyze whether there were differences in their strategy choice when solving arithmetic word problems. No sig-nificant differences were found between dyscalculic and G-V children, both groups relying more on backup strategies than the nonimpaired group. Thus, the IQ-achievement discrepancy does not seem to be a relevant criterion for differentiating between individuals with dyscalculia and those with garden-variety poor mathematics performance