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Dyscalculia Screening Tool

Understanding Numerical Strengths & Challenges

Section 1: Introduction & Purpose

Welcome to the Dyscalculia Screening Tool. This resource is designed to help individuals, parents, and professionals gain a clearer understanding of potential difficulties with numbers and mathematics, alongside identifying unique strengths.

Who is this Screening Tool For?

This screener is for individuals of all ages (children, young adults, and adults) who experience persistent challenges with numbers, maths concepts, or mathematical reasoning in daily life, education, or work.

It is managed by a professional (e.g., teacher, SENCo, educational psychologist, support worker, or career advisor) to help guide the process and discuss the results.

What Will This Tool Do?

This tool will help to:

Identify if experiences align with common indicators of dyscalculia.
Highlight individual's strengths (e.g., verbal, spatial, creative) which can coexist with numerical challenges.
Provide practical insights into learning preferences and effective support strategies for maths.
Guide recommendations for further assessment, educational adjustments, or workplace accommodations.

Important Information:

It is vital to understand that this is a screening tool, not a formal diagnostic assessment for dyscalculia. It is designed to inform support and identify the need for further investigation, not to label.

A formal diagnosis of dyscalculia can only be provided by a qualified specialist, such as a practitioner psychologist or a specialist teacher with an Assessment Practising Certificate.

Our Strengths-Based Approach:

We believe everyone has strengths and unique ways of thinking. This screener, in line with The Dynamic Development Plan framework, focuses on understanding the individual's whole profile. It is not just about identifying challenges, but about recognising their resilience, practical skills, creativity, and other talents that can help them succeed.

Let us begin to explore their unique potential!

Section 2: Background & Numerical Journey

This section helps us understand the individual's history with numbers and how they manage numerical tasks now. Please complete all relevant fields or mark 'N/A' (Not Applicable).

Individual Details & Current Context

1. Full Name of Individual Being Screened:

2. Age:

3. Relationship to Individual (if completing for someone else):

4. Current Education Level / Main Activity:

5. Name of Professional Administering Screener:

6. Date of Screening Tool Completion:

History with Numbers & Maths

7. Has the individual consistently found maths or number-related tasks more difficult than other subjects/areas?

Yes, consistently Sometimes Not really

8. Is there any family history of difficulties with numbers or maths (e.g., dyscalculia, maths anxiety)?

Yes No Not sure

9. Has the individual received any previous maths support or interventions?

Yes No Not sure

Section 3: Core Numerical Skills & Observations

Observe or discuss the individual's performance in foundational numerical tasks. Note any specific patterns of difficulty or strength.

FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY: Observe/discuss and record observations/notes below.

1. Number Sense & Basic Arithmetic (Age-Appropriate)

Observe/discuss: Ability to count (for children), recognise numbers, understand quantities, perform simple addition/subtraction, mental maths, understanding place value (e.g., what does the '3' mean in 345?).

Overall Level of Skill:

2. Applied Numerical Skills (Daily Life & Work)

Observe/discuss: Ability to manage money (giving/receiving change), tell time (analogue/digital), understand measurements (cooking, DIY), interpret simple graphs/charts, work with fractions/decimals/percentages (age/context appropriate).

Overall Level of Skill:

3. Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving

Observe/discuss: Ability to understand word problems, apply mathematical concepts to real-world situations, estimate, or understand logical sequences involving numbers.

Overall Level of Skill:

Cognitive Aspects Related to Numbers

10. Does the individual struggle with remembering numerical sequences or facts (e.g., phone numbers, times tables, formulas)?

Yes, often Sometimes Not really

11. Are there difficulties with visual-spatial aspects of maths (e.g., geometry, reading graphs, aligning numbers in columns)?

Yes, often Sometimes Not really

12. Does the individual take significantly longer to process numerical information or calculations than peers?

Yes, often Sometimes Not really

13. Overall Observations from Professional (Optional, but highly recommended):

Note any general observations during this section: signs of frustration, anxiety, fatigue, compensatory strategies used, engagement.

Section 4: Impact & Strengths

This section explores how numerical challenges impact the individual's life and highlights their unique strengths.

14. How confident does the individual seem about their maths skills in daily life, education, or work?

Very low confidence Low confidence Average confidence High confidence

15. How do any difficulties with numbers/maths impact the individual's emotional well-being, learning, or daily functioning?

(e.g., maths anxiety, frustration, avoidance, feeling overwhelmed, limiting career choices)

Your Strengths & Adaptive Strategies

16. Describe the individual's cognitive strengths (e.g., verbal reasoning, literacy, creativity, visual-spatial skills if not affected by maths, practical skills):

17. What strategies or tools does the individual currently use to manage numerical difficulties?

(e.g., using calculators, phone apps, asking for help, visualising problems, avoiding number tasks)

Section 5: Findings & Recommendations

FOR PROFESSIONAL USE ONLY: Use this section to interpret findings and outline actionable recommendations based on the individual's responses and observations.

Overall Profile & Strengths:

Based on all sections, what are the individual's unique strengths and preferred ways of learning?

Potential Indicators of Dyscalculia:

Based on the screening observations, are there consistent indicators of dyscalculia? (Refer to specific observations from Sections 2, 3, and 4). Avoid definitive diagnosis. Note age-specific manifestations.

Immediate Practical Strategies & Support (The Dynamic Development Plan in Action):

Suggest immediate, practical strategies for home, education, or workplace. Focus on leveraging strengths and accommodating numerical challenges.

Recommendations for Next Steps & Future Success:

What should happen next? Choose one or more options below and provide details.

Recommended Next Steps: Refer to specialist maths support/tutoring
Explore assistive technology for maths (e.g., calculators, apps)
Consider workplace/educational adjustments
Recommend a formal diagnostic assessment for dyscalculia
No further action/support specifically for dyscalculia indicated at this time (provide other general support)
Other (please specify below)

Thank you for completing the Dyscalculia Screening Tool.

This tool is designed to empower you with understanding and practical pathways for your future.

Created by Lane Anthony

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Dyscalculia Screening Tool

Section 1: Introduction & Purpose

Who is this Screening Tool For?

What Will This Tool Do?

Important Information:

Our Strengths-Based Approach:

Section 2: Background & Numerical Journey

Individual Details & Current Context

History with Numbers & Maths

Section 3: Core Numerical Skills & Observations

1. Number Sense & Basic Arithmetic (Age-Appropriate)

2. Applied Numerical Skills (Daily Life & Work)

3. Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving

Cognitive Aspects Related to Numbers

Section 4: Impact & Strengths

Your Strengths & Adaptive Strategies

Section 5: Findings & Recommendations

Overall Profile & Strengths:

Potential Indicators of Dyscalculia:

Immediate Practical Strategies & Support (The Dynamic Development Plan in Action):

Recommendations for Next Steps & Future Success:

DDP Generated Report

Sign up for Newsletter

Dyscalculia Screening Tool

Section 1: Introduction & Purpose

Who is this Screening Tool For?

What Will This Tool Do?

Important Information:

Our Strengths-Based Approach:

Section 2: Background & Numerical Journey

Individual Details & Current Context

History with Numbers & Maths

Section 3: Core Numerical Skills & Observations

1. Number Sense & Basic Arithmetic (Age-Appropriate)

2. Applied Numerical Skills (Daily Life & Work)

3. Mathematical Reasoning & Problem Solving

Cognitive Aspects Related to Numbers

Section 4: Impact & Strengths

Your Strengths & Adaptive Strategies

Section 5: Findings & Recommendations

Overall Profile & Strengths:

Potential Indicators of Dyscalculia:

Immediate Practical Strategies & Support (The Dynamic Development Plan in Action):

Recommendations for Next Steps & Future Success:

DDP Generated Report

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