The Trouble with Maths: A Practical Guide to Helping Learners with Numeracy Difficulties

Now in its fourth edition, with updates to reflect developments in our understanding of learning difficulties in maths, this award-winning text provides vital, pragmatic insights into the often-confusing world of numeracy. By looking at learning difficulties in maths and dyscalculia from several perspectives, for example, the vocabulary and language of maths, cognitive style and the demands of individual procedures, this book provides a complete overview of the most frequently occurring problems associated with maths teaching and learning. Drawing on tried-and-tested methods based on research and Steve Chinn’s decades of classroom experience, it provides an authoritative yet accessible one-stop classroom resource.

Combining advice, guidance and practical activities, this user-friendly guide will help you to:

develop flexible cognitive styles

use alternative strategies to replace an over-reliance on rote-learning for pupils trying to access basic facts

understand the implications of underlying skills, such as working memory, on learning

implement effective pre-emptive measures before demotivation sets in

recognise the manifestations of maths anxiety and tackle affective domain problems

find approaches to solve word problems

select appropriate materials and visual images to enhance understanding.

With useful features such as checklists for the evaluation of books and an overview of resources, this book will equip you with essential skills to help you tackle your pupils’ maths difficulties and improve standards for all learners. This book will be useful for all teachers, classroom assistants, learning support assistants and parents.