Math computation difficulties in grade 7 and 8 students

grantor: University of TorontoLittle research has been done on the underlying factors contributing to math computation difficulties. This study investigated some of the cognitive abilities and basic mathematics skills that are believed to be related to success in math computations. From a pool of 187 grade 7 and 8 students, thirty students were identified as having math disabilities (AM) based on the WRAT3 Arithmetic standard scores. Thirty peers who achieved WRAT3 Arithmetic, Reading and Spelling standard scores within the Average range were selected as members of the normal control (N) group. Comparisons were made between the two groups on variables thought to be related to math computation: processing speed, memory, basic numeration concepts and number facts. The results revealed that the NC Group scored significantly higher than the MD Group on the measures of basic numeration concepts such as place value, estimation and number patterns. Many of the procedure errors made by the MD Group could be related to these concepts. The NC Group also outperformed the MD Group on all of the processing speed measures and on a sequential memory task. The processing speed measures, along with the numeration concepts and number fact automaticity level, predicted a significant amount of the variance in the WRAT3 Arithmetic scores. Surprisingly, no group differences were noted on the working memory tasks, nor were verbal short-term memory differences found. As expected, the NC Group knew significantly more number facts automatically than the MD Group in all four operations. There was however, growth in the MD Group across grades. The pattern of automaticity was similar across operations and groups, with ties being easier in most cases. Both groups used the same type of back-up strategies for non-automatic facts. The possibility of heterogeneity within the MD Group was explored by dividing this group of students into subtypes based on their academic profiles. The expected pattern of visual-spatial deficits in the students with exclusively arithmetic disabilities (Group A) was rare. Few differences were found on the cognitive and math measures between students in Group A and those with deficits in arithmetic, reading and spelling (Group ARS).Ph.D