Dyslexia & Maths

Dyslexia often causes problems with understanding the language of maths, particularly in English, where so many synonyms exist to describe mathematical functions. For example, synonyms for ‘subtract’ might include ‘minus’, ‘take away’, ‘less than’, ‘fewer than’, ‘take(n) from’, ‘difference’, etc.

Difficulties may also be encountered where a maths problem involves reading a long and complicated question.

Co-occurring difficulties such as short term and/or working memory deficits, dyscalculia and dyspraxia can compound these issues.

For information on supporting children who have difficulty with the language of maths and for recognizing the signs of dyscalculia, see MESHGuide Dyscalculia