Dyscalculia Training Course

Lesson 1 • Defining Dyscalculia Accurately

Clarifies the clinical and educational definitions of dyscalculia, distinguishing it from general maths difficulty. Sets the conceptual baseline for the entire course.

Lesson 2 • Dyscalculia Within the Learning Disability Spectrum

Positions dyscalculia relative to dyslexia, ADHD, and other co-occurring conditions. Prepares practitioners to manage complex, overlapping profiles.

Lesson 3 • Prevalence and Population Data

Examines global prevalence estimates and demographic patterns of dyscalculia. Grounds practitioners in evidence-based scope of the condition.

Lesson 4 • Types and Subtypes of Dyscalculia

Introduces proposed subtypes based on cognitive profiles and error patterns. Enables practitioners to recognise varied presentations in real learners.

Lesson 1 • Brain Regions Supporting Number Processing

Maps key neural structures involved in numerical cognition, focusing on the intraparietal sulcus and related networks. Connects neuroanatomy to observable learning difficulties.

Lesson 2 • Core Number Sense and Its Deficits

Explains the approximate number system and exact number system and how deficits in each manifest. Links core number sense theory to dyscalculia symptom profiles.

Lesson 3 • Cognitive Profiles and Individual Variation

Describes how processing speed, attention, and language interact with numerical cognition. Prepares practitioners to interpret heterogeneous learner profiles.

Lesson 4 • Working Memory and Dyscalculia

Analyses how phonological, visuospatial, and central executive components of working memory affect maths performance. Informs targeted memory-support strategies.

Lesson 1 • Dynamic and Ongoing Assessment

Introduces dynamic assessment and progress-monitoring frameworks as complements to static testing. Supports responsive, data-driven adjustment of interventions over time.

Lesson 2 • Interpreting and Reporting Assessment Data

Teaches score interpretation, discrepancy analysis, and professional report writing. Connects assessment findings directly to actionable intervention recommendations.

Lesson 3 • Assessment Principles and Frameworks

Establishes psychometric principles—reliability, validity, and standardisation—as the foundation for dyscalculia assessment. Ensures practitioners evaluate tools critically before use.

Lesson 4 • Comprehensive Diagnostic Assessment

Guides practitioners through full diagnostic evaluation including cognitive, academic, and behavioural measures. Produces a complete profile distinguishing dyscalculia from other causes of maths difficulty.

Lesson 1 • Multisensory Instructional Approaches

Integrates visual, auditory, kinesthetic, and tactile channels to reinforce numerical concepts. Explains how multisensory input reduces cognitive load for learners with dyscalculia.

Lesson 2 • Retrieval Practice and Spaced Learning

Applies cognitive science principles of retrieval practice and spaced repetition to maths fact fluency. Provides practitioners with scheduling and activity design guidance.

Lesson 3 • Explicit and Systematic Instruction

Defines explicit instruction components—modelling, guided practice, and corrective feedback—as the core delivery method. Demonstrates why structured sequences outperform discovery-based approaches for dyscalculia.

Lesson 4 • Concrete-Representational-Abstract Progression

Explains the CRA instructional sequence for building conceptual understanding before procedural fluency. Anchors all subsequent intervention chapters in this foundational framework.

Lesson 1 • Developing Procedural and Conceptual Understanding

Balances procedural algorithm instruction with conceptual understanding of operations. Prevents rote learning without meaning, which is a common failure mode in dyscalculia support.

Lesson 2 • Building Arithmetic Fact Fluency

Sequences instruction from counting strategies through derived facts to automatic retrieval. Provides practitioners with fluency-building routines grounded in cognitive science.

Lesson 3 • Structuring Number Sense Interventions

Designs activities targeting quantity discrimination, counting principles, and number relationships. Builds the numerical foundation required for all higher-order maths skills.

Lesson 4 • Setting Goals and Prioritising Skills

Guides practitioners in writing measurable goals aligned to assessment findings and curriculum demands. Establishes a skill hierarchy that sequences intervention targets logically.

Lesson 1 • Environmental and Classroom Setup

Addresses physical and digital classroom arrangements that reduce cognitive overload for learners with dyscalculia. Connects environmental design to attention and working memory demands.

Lesson 2 • Instructional Accommodations for Dyscalculia

Catalogues evidence-supported accommodations including extended time, calculator use, and graphic organisers. Teaches practitioners to match accommodations to specific cognitive profiles.

Lesson 3 • Modifying Assessments Fairly

Distinguishes accommodations from modifications and guides practitioners in designing fair, valid assessments. Ensures assessment data remain meaningful while reducing construct-irrelevant barriers.

Lesson 4 • Differentiated Instruction Strategies

Provides frameworks for differentiating content, process, and product in maths lessons. Enables educators to serve diverse learners within a single classroom efficiently.

Lesson 1 • Family and Peer Support Systems

Guides practitioners in engaging families and peers as positive influences on maths attitudes. Extends the supportive environment beyond the classroom to home and social contexts.

Lesson 2 • Building Mathematical Self-Efficacy

Applies Bandura's self-efficacy framework to maths learning, focusing on mastery experiences and attribution retraining. Provides concrete strategies to shift learners from helplessness to agency.

Lesson 3 • Maths Anxiety: Causes and Effects

Explains the neurological and psychological mechanisms of maths anxiety and its bidirectional relationship with dyscalculia. Establishes why affective support is inseparable from academic intervention.

Lesson 4 • Reducing Maths Anxiety in Practice

Provides classroom-ready techniques including mindfulness, low-stakes practice, and positive framing. Directly reduces anxiety barriers that impede access to maths instruction.

Lesson 1 • Graphing and Interpreting Progress Data

Teaches practitioners to graph time-series data and apply trend analysis to judge intervention effectiveness. Converts raw data into actionable instructional decisions.

Lesson 2 • Adjusting Interventions Based on Data

Provides decision frameworks for intensifying, modifying, or discontinuing interventions based on progress data. Prevents prolonged ineffective instruction and accelerates learner growth.

Lesson 3 • Progress Monitoring Frameworks

Introduces tiered progress monitoring systems aligned to intervention intensity levels. Establishes the frequency and method of data collection appropriate to each support tier.

Lesson 4 • Communicating Progress to Stakeholders

Develops practitioner skills in translating data into clear, jargon-free reports for families, educators, and administrators. Ensures all stakeholders understand progress and next steps.