Psychometric Properties of a Screening Tool for Elementary School Student’s Math Learning Disorder Risk
Keywords:
Basic number processing skills, math learning disorder, low math achievement, reliability, validityAbstract
This study reports the psychometric properties of a Basic
Number Processing Test (BNPT), which was developed in order to
determine elementary school students at risk for Mathematical learning
disorder. A total of 478 primary school students were selected from 12
different public schools with an attempt to get a representative sample.
The reliability and validity of the Dyscalculia Screening Tool were
assessed with approximately 120 students from each of the First to
Fourth grade. Results showed that, except for the First grade, the test
scores predict the significant portion of the student’s curriculum based
Math achievement scores for Second, Third and Fourth graders with
having the highest variance in the Second grade. These findings indicate
that BNPT could be used as a screening tool in order to determine the
students at risk for Mathematics learning disorders in those grades. It
could also be deduced that at least very important portions of the causes
of low achievement in Mathematics might originate from either the core
systems of number or the system for accessing numbers from symbols. It
is also suggested that symbolic or non-reading measurement paradigms
would be more appropriate for screening First graders.
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