One in five primary school teachers worries that pupils in their class could have unidentified dyscalculia, with concerns that increased maths anxiety is being passed down through generations as a “baleful family legacy”.
Around 19 per cent of primary teachers suspect that pupils in their class may have unidentified dyscalculia, according to a study from exam provider GL Assessment.
More than half (57 per cent) of primary teachers also report widespread maths anxiety, which they fear is hindering pupils’ academic progress.
GL Assessment commissioned YouGov to survey 566 primary teachers on their views of maths in the classroom.
‘Many’ dyscalculia cases go undiagnosed
The British Dyslexia Association defines dyscalculia as a specific and persistent difficulty in understanding numbers, which can lead to a diverse range of difficulties with maths.
While dyscalculia is estimated to affect 6 per cent of the population, primary teachers’ observations suggest the prevalence in classrooms could be three times higher, the report found.
This, says GL Assessment, is because research into the condition “lags approximately three decades behind dyslexia studies” and its lower profile means “many cases go undiagnosed”.
More than half (53 per cent) of teachers surveyed believe a lack of home support is a “major obstacle” to maths attainment.
Many parents do not have the “knowledge to help their children with maths”, teachers fear, which they say is contributing to difficulties by the time students leave primary school.
Curriculum challenges are also a concern for teachers, with 79 per cent reporting difficulties covering the full maths syllabus in time.
More than a third (39 per cent) of teachers struggle with deciding which areas to prioritise, and 82 per cent believe the curriculum needs to be updated to make maths more relevant to younger learners.
Gender disparities in maths performance
The report also finds that gender disparities in maths performance continue to persist.
Some 49 per cent of the teachers surveyed believe that girls advance more slowly in maths because they are “too cautious” and try to “avoid mistakes”, compared with just 5 per cent who think the same of boys.
“Maths anxiety is an extremely common and incredibly persistent phenomenon,” warned Crispin Chatterton, director of education at Renaissance, the education technology company that GL Assessment is part of.
“Teachers tell me that it’s so persistent, children routinely claim it’s passed down through the generations, like some baleful family legacy,” he added.
The GL Assessment report calls for early intervention to help boost confidence with maths, with 61 per cent of teachers advocating for assessing children’s maths strengths and weaknesses during key stage 1, to better support them from an early age.
For the latest education news and analysis delivered every weekday morning, sign up for the Tes Daily newsletter
