Mathematical Difficulties

Gary D. Phye, Past President of the Iowa Educational Research and Evaluation Association, is the new editor of the Academic Press Educational Psychology Book Series. He has published numerous research articles and book chapters in the areas of classroom learning and transfer. He previously co-edited two of the bestselling volumes in the book series: School Psychology with Dan Reschly and Cognitive Classroom Learning with Tom Andre. In addition to being the co-author of an undergraduate educational psychology text, Dr. Phye has also co-authored (with K. Josef Klauer) a newly-published program designed to teach and assess the inductive reasoning and metacognitive strategies of young children. Dr. Phye is currently working with the Ames Community public schools in the training and assessment of inductive reasoning strategies of special needs children in primary and intermediate grades.

This book examines the mathematical difficulties in typical and atypical populations. It discusses the behavioural, educational and neuropsychological characteristics of people with mathematical difficulties, and educational interventions to prevent, diagnose, treat or ameliorate such difficulties. The book brings together studies from different disciplines, including developmental psychology, neuroscience and education, and includes perspectives from practicing teachers.The book is divided into three major sections. The first includes chapters about the nature and characteristics of mathematical difficulties in the population as a whole, in relation to both psychology and education. The second deals with mathematical difficulties in children with other problems such as specific language impairment and dyslexia. The third discusses methods of interventions aimed at preventing, treating or ameliorating mathematical difficulties, and will include discussions of assessment and diagnosis.