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The word dyscalculia is often used to describe someone who finds maths unexpectedly hard. But in reality, there are many different reasons why someone might struggle with maths鈥攏ot all of them are due to dyscalculia or a specific learning difficulty (SpLD).

According to the latest definition from SASC (2025), difficulties with maths can come from a mix of different factors. Some of these are 鈥渞isk markers鈥� (things that make it more likely someone will struggle), while others are 鈥減rotective factors鈥� (things that can help someone succeed). These factors affect people in unique ways, and not everyone who has trouble with maths has a specific learning difficulty.

A Specific Learning Difficulty in Maths (SpLD in Maths) is when the risk factors cause an ongoing/long-lasting difficulty with learning and understanding maths. This is more common than dyscalculia. Dyscalculia, on the other hand, is a more specific and lasting difficulty. It mainly affects how someone understands numbers, quantities, and estimating.

Every person鈥檚 experience with maths is different. How much someone is affected can change over time, depending on their age, their education, and other factors. There is no single 鈥渢ype鈥� of person who struggles with maths.

People may have a Specific Learning Difficulty (SpLD) in maths 飞丑别苍:鈥�

1. Their difficulties are shown to be caused by cognitive factors such as language and reasoning skills, working memory, spatial skills or executive functions and鈥�

1. Result in low attainment in some/all areas of maths and鈥�

1. Have a significant and sustained impact on their learning, work and daily activities.鈥�鈥�

Difficulties experienced by some with a SpLD in maths may include:鈥�

• Difficulties with counting, especially backwards鈥�

• Using counting forwards in ones to add and backwards in ones to subtract beyond their peers鈥�

• Difficulties remembering and using number bonds and multiplication facts鈥�

• Not able to use number relationships to make calculations easier 鈥� e.g. add 9, rather than add 10 subtract 1; counts up in 6s for 5x6 rather than using knowledge of 6, fives.鈥�

• Using written methods for all calculations鈥� (34+11; 29 鈥� 2; 30x2; 10/5)鈥�

• Using procedures without understanding them鈥�

• Not knowing when to use multiplication or division鈥�

• Difficulties in solving word problems 鈥� unable to visualise the maths needed鈥�

• Difficulties in understanding algebra and formulas鈥�
  

A much fewer number of people will have such a pronounced difficulty with understanding quantities and numbers, that they will meet the criteria for having dyscalculia.鈥�

Examples of the difficulties that people with dyscalculia may have include:鈥�

• Having to count and re-count, even small quantities, excessively鈥�

• Difficulties with estimating quantities, measurements, time and money鈥�

• Not understanding when/why an answer is unreasonably large or small鈥�

• Not understanding that 拢14.99 is less than 拢20;鈥�

• Not noticing when a price/ restaurant bill is incorrect and unreasonable鈥�

• Difficulties in judging time (arriving late or very early), understanding timetables and planning travel.鈥�