Diagnosing Specific Learning Disorder in Mathematics: Development of a Test Battery Tailored to Luxembourg

peer reviewedTo diagnose specific learning disorder in mathematics, multidimensional assessment is required, which includes psychometric testing to identify children’s individual weaknesses and strengths, particularly in mathematics. Most of these tools use language to give instructions and present tasks but test language proficiency is prone to impact student’s test performance (Ugen et al., 2021). This is especially important for Luxembourg and its linguistically diverse school population, as results from the national school monitoring program ÉpStan showed school performance differences based on children’s home language (Greisen et al., 2021; Martini et al., 2021). Even though currently used diagnostic tests generally have a good psychometric quality, they rarely consider linguistic heterogeneity, questioning their reliable and valid use in a multilingual setting. In fact, to reduce the risk of over- and under-identifying learning disorders, difficulties arising from lower language proficiency need to be disentangled from problems resulting from an underlying learning disorder, leading to situation-dependent adaptations in the diagnostic process (e.g., translation of test instructions or approximate interpretation of test results). To optimize this, we have developed a test battery in mathematics for children in grade 3, specifically tailored to the multilingual education context in Luxembourg. Following diagnostic guidelines and neurocognitive models of number processing, we devised a total of 17 paper-pencil subtests assessing children’s performance in basic numerical and arithmetic skills. The language in the instructions was kept simple and straightforward, and only eight subtests contained language directly within the items. The content was adapted to the national mathematics curriculum. To norm the test battery, we have collected data in 49 classes all over Luxembourg (N ≃ 650 children). Preliminary findings of this data collection will be presented to show the tool’s suitability for Luxembourg’s multilingual education setting

Specific Learning Disorder in Mathematics in a Multilingual Education Context: Towards a More Tailored Diagnosis

peer reviewedLanguage is an important factor when assessing math skills and when diagnosing specific learning disorder in mathematics. This is challenging in linguistically heterogeneous contexts (e.g., Luxembourg) as one needs to differentiate if problems arise from low language skills or result from an underlying learning disorder. As diagnostic tools generally do not consider linguistic heterogeneity, we have developed a test battery for third-grade children, tailored to a multilingual education context. Following diagnostic guidelines and neurocognitive models of number processing, we devised a series of tasks with reduced language load in the instructions and within the items. To evaluate how language background affects performances, we compared results of the pilot study (N = 116) with scores of the same children in the Luxembourgish school monitoring program. A significant interaction between test and language profile showed that performance differences based on children’s linguistic backgrounds were less pronounced in the test battery than in the monitoring tasks. This provides first evidence that the new tool is suitable for a multilingual context. The poster will address the test framework and language profile-related results

Specific learning disorder in mathematics in a multilingual education context - Diagnosing with language in mind

In the diagnostic process of specific learning disorder in mathematics, individual weaknesses and strengths are identified to provide adequate support and hence minimize the impact on children’s scholastic achievement. In general, diagnostic tools use language to give instructions and present tasks and thus, test language proficiency is prone to impact student’s test performance, especially in linguistically diverse contexts. In Luxembourg, for instance, most children’s home languages differ from the language of math instruction, which is used in the diagnostic process. In addition, given that linguistic heterogeneity is generally not considered in currently used diagnostic instruments, difficulties arising from low language skills need to be disentangled from problems resulting from an underlying learning disorder. To optimize the diagnostic process, we have developed a test battery in mathematics for third-grade children, tailored to a multilingual education context. Based on diagnostic guidelines and neurocognitive models of number processing, we devised a total of 17 subtests addressing different key domains, with reduced language load both in the instructions and within the items. Results from the pilot study (N=211) show significant performance differences based on linguistic backgrounds in three tasks (number naming, number writing, and verbal counting), in favor of children most familiar with the test language. Moreover, we compared general performance in the test battery of a sub-sample (N=116) with the mathematics score of the same children in the Luxembourgish school monitoring program. A significant interaction between test and language profile revealed that differences in performance based on student’s language background profiles were less pronounced in the new test battery than in the monitoring tasks. These findings (a) highlight the importance of considering test language proficiency when diagnosing specific learning disorders and (b) provide first evidence of the new tool’s suitability in a multilingual education setting

Mathematical language and its relation to numerical performance in linguistically diverse elementary-school children

peer reviewedRecent research has shown that mathematical language is a central predictor of mathematical abilities. Related studies mainly focused on linguistically rather homogenous samples. However, proficiency in the teaching language has been shown to be particularly important in multilingual contexts. In Luxembourg, for example, many student’s home languages differ from the language of math instruction, impacting their school performance. We therefore aimed at exploring the link between (mathematical) language and numerical skills in linguistically diverse elementary-school children. Language skills were assessed through a self-developed receptive vocabulary measure with 18 mathematical and 45 general language items. To assess numerical skills, we devised a total of ten tasks (e.g., transcoding, number comparison). Further measures included demographics (language background, socioeconomic status, age, gender) and rapid automatized naming. Data was collected on 598 third-grade children attending Luxembourgish public schools, whereof 56% did not speak the language of math instruction at home. Regression analyses revealed that mathematical and general language both significantly contributed to numerical performance. Moreover, students who spoke the language of math instruction at home had significantly higher outcomes on all measures compared to their peers. Results of a mediation analysis indicated that mathematical language significantly explained the observed performance gaps, even after controlling for children’s general language abilities. These findings highlight the important contribution of mathematical language skills to numerical performance in elementary-school children with different language backgrounds. Trainings on mathematical language, in addition to general language, may potentially enhance student’s understanding of mathematical instructions and contents, especially in linguistically heterogeneous education contexts

Diagnosing Specific Learning Disorder in Mathematics in a Multilingual Education Context: Language Matters

peer reviewedThe diagnostics of specific learning disorder in mathematics comes along with a thorough assessment of individual strengths and weaknesses, particularly in mathematics. Most diagnostic tools are based on language to present instructions and test contents, and hence test language proficiency may impact student’s test performance. This is especially challenging in multilingual settings, such as Luxembourg, where most students do not speak the language of mathematics instruction (usually corresponding to the test language) at home. However, even though currently used tests generally show good psychometric quality, they were mostly developed for native or proficient speakers, which challenges an adequate and valid outcome in a linguistically heterogenous environment. To optimize the diagnostic process in a multilingual education context, we have developed a standardized test battery for diagnostic purposes in mathematics for third-grade children. It consists of 19 tasks assessing basic numerical and arithmetic skills, in accordance with diagnostic guidelines and neurocognitive models of number processing. Following a pilot study (N = 211), normative data was collected in elementary schools in Luxembourg (N = 696), and special emphasis was put on the language aspect during test development and data analysis. In only five subtests, children who did not speak the language of math instruction at home were significantly outperformed by their native peers, which could generally be explained by their test language skills. More concretely, besides general vocabulary skills, content-specific (i.e., mathematical) language also significantly contributed to this relation, extending previous research findings in younger children to elementary-school students. These results highlight the importance of considering both children’s language background and test language proficiency in the diagnostics of specific learning disorder in mathematics, to enable a fairer diagnosis and, consequently, adequate support measures