Learning Difficulties Information Guide Numeracy © State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training) 2019 Learning Difficulties Information Guide - Numeracy is provided under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria (Department of Education and Training), indicate if changes were made and comply with the other licence terms, see: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International The licence does not apply to: • any images, photographs, trademarks or branding, including the Victorian Government logo and the DET logo; and • content supplied by third parties. Copyright queries may be directed to [email protected] Contents What is this guide? 4 Background 4 What is the difference between a learning disability and learning difficulty? 5 Legal responsibilities 6 Personalised learning and support planning 7 Numeracy learning difficulties 8 Why is numeracy important? 8 Characterising learning difficulties in numeracy 9 Identifying numeracy learning difficulties and dyscalculia 10 Subitising 11 Comparing approximate magnitudes 11 A three-phase maths assessment process 12 Numeracy intervention 14 Response to Intervention and numeracy learning difficulties 14 High Impact Teaching Strategies 15 Hallmarks of effective numeracy intervention 16 Adjustments for students with learning difficulties 18 Student support services 18 Case example 19 Learning difficulties and student wellbeing 21 Empowering students 21 Engaging with families 22 Bibliography and professional reading 23 APPENDIX 1 - HITS for numeracy 24 3 What is this guide? The Learning Difficulties Information Guide – Numeracy is a foundation for understanding learning Background difficulties in numeracy, including dyscalculia, and a guide for what teachers can do to support this cohort In June 2018, the Department of Education and of students. Training (the Department) released its Literacy and Numeracy Strategy Phase 2 (the Strategy), This resource will sit alongside two accompanying outlining Victoria’s plan to improve literacy and guides: numeracy outcomes for all students. The Strategy • The Learning Difficulties Information Guide ensures that teachers have access to relevant – Literacy support and resources to meet the learning needs of their students and continuously improve their • The Learning Difficulties Information Guide professional practice in the classroom. – School Leaders The Strategy aims to support teachers in their daily The School Leaders guide contains information to practice and thereby lift literacy and numeracy help schools understand how supporting students achievement, so that every Victorian student, with learning difficulties fits within the broader including those with learning difficulties, can expect: vision of the Education State. • to receive the quality teaching they need to This guide and the literacy guide are more achieve success in literacy and numeracy specialised, designed to help build the confidence (regardless of their background, circumstances and practical capability of teachers to identify, or prior achievement) assess and implement interventions to support students with learning difficulties in day-to-day • to be engaged in their learning, including practice. working with their teachers to set immediate and longer-term literacy and numeracy goals, While the advice in all three guides is intended to and to have their voice heard in designing their help support students with learning difficulties, its own learning. application will help to improve the literacy and numeracy of all students (Gettinger & Stoiber 2007; Marston 2005). 4 What is the difference between a learning disability and learning difficulty? Approximately 15–20 percent of students in every Learning disabilities are a subset of learning school, in every classroom, will have a learning difficulties and are classified as congenital, difficulty (AUSPELD 2014). This is an umbrella term neurological differences (that may or may not be to describe students who are experiencing difficulty diagnosed) which include specific learning disabilities, with learning because of a variety of reasons such as dyslexia and dyscalculia. Students with (for example, disability, living in out-of-home care) learning disabilities are predisposed to difficulties and who are unable to baccess the curriculum with their learning, no matter the circumstances through high-quality instruction alone. This group they are born into, their school environment, or the of students, if they are provided with greater quality of teaching they experience. knowledge and practice, are more than capable Not all students with neurological differences will of closing the gap between them and their peers. present with a set of recognisable traits, which Understanding the reasons why a student may can make it hard to identify a learning disability. be experiencing difficulties while learning is an It is likely, however, that students with learning important first step to help them better access disabilities will respond less effectually and more the curriculum. slowly to intervention compared to those with other learning difficulties. For the purposes of this guide, ‘learning disabilities’ will be viewed as a sub-set of the larger group of students generally referred to as experiencing learning difficulties. 5 Legal responsibilities The DDA and the Standards One in five Australians will have a disability at in a nutshell some stage in their lives. For some, the disability will be temporary. Others are affected for a lifetime. Together, the DDA and the Standards help to Whatever the case, everyone has the right to be ensure that Australian school students with an active member of their community and to have disability get the same opportunities at school as a say in the decisions that affect their lives. As a everyone else. teacher, your attitudes, words, and actions have a • The DDA is Commonwealth legislation huge impact on the lives of students with disability. that aims to eliminate disability-based The Disability Standards for Education 2005 (the discrimination and promote equal rights, Standards) were developed under the Disability opportunity and access for people with Discrimination Act 1992 (DDA). The Standards disability. clarify the obligations of education providers • The Standards help to clarify the DDA. They under the DDA, and seek to ensure that students provide a framework about the educational with disability can access and participate in rights of students with disability to enable education on the same basis as other students. The them to access and participate in education definition of disability in the DDA includes physical, on the same basis as other students. intellectual, mental health and learning disability. (NCCD 2019) School leaders and teachers should be aware of their obligations in supporting students with Further information to help schools and other learning disabilities to ensure their compliance education providers understand their obligations with the DDA and the Standards. Among other under the DDA and the Standards is available on things, schools are obliged to make reasonable the Department’s website as professional learning. adjustments to ensure students with learning disabilities can access education on the same basis as their peers. 6 IEPs are recommended for students with learning Personalised learning and disabilities as an IEP serves to establish the process by which teachers and schools are meeting their support planning legal obligations and accountabilities for students To maximise engagement and outcomes for with additional learning needs under the Disability students with learning difficulties, a four stage Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards personalised learning and support planning process for Education 2005. An IEP: is recommended. The four stages of Assess, Plan, • supports schools in developing a meaningful Teach and Evaluate serve as a guide for identifying learning program for students and to track students’ learning strengths and needs, and for progress against SMART goals designing, implementing and evaluating tailored • provides a means to share information between teaching and intervention strategies, including the school, student, family and other support development of Individual Education Plans. professionals Individual Education Plans • helps schools to determine how best to use An Individual Education Plan (IEP) describes the resources to support students adjustments, goals and strategies designed to meet • promotes agency and student voice by involving the educational needs of an individual student the young person in the process. to enable them to reach their potential. An IEP is a living document that is essential in guiding the educational planning and monitoring of a student’s unique learning needs. 7 Numeracy learning difficulties In the information age we need to keep track of and process an unprecedented amount of Why is numeracy important? numerical data. Numeracy can be described as the knowledge, skills and behaviours that allow The application of numeracy is important for our us to use mathematics in a range of everyday participation in society and understanding of the contexts, including study, the workplace, and world. We use numeracy every day, in all areas of our personal lives. Yet despite the best efforts of our lives. Because life decisions are so often based their teachers,