A new tool available for use by teachers, psychologists, parents and the like is designed to use a neurodevelopmental perspective to determine if a child has a math learning disability (MLD) and what kind of intervention will help him or her succeed.

Called Feifer Assessment of Mathematics (FAM), the tool "can determine if a child has the characteristics of an MLD and, further, the specific subtype of dyscalculia they may be suffering from—verbal, procedural, or semantic” through 19 different subtests.

"The FAM is written by Steven G. Feifer, DEd, who also created the Feifer Assessment of Reading...which identifies specific neurodevelopmental factors that contribute to reading disorders. Both the FAR and FAM use cutting-edge research in neuropsychology to develop assessments that allow psychologists and teachers to better target the cause of students' academic problems, allowing practitioners the ability to create truly individualized treatment plans,” said the tool’s creator, PAR, in a statement.

"The FAM allows clinicians to conduct an in-depth assessment that provides information about how a child learns and processes information, helping to identify and diagnose math learning disabilities and reducing the risk of delaying diagnosis or denying students' eligibility for much needed services.”

The tool could possibly be a breakthrough in helping struggling students overcome early challenges when learning math- a major focus in the country’s schools as STEM (Science, Technology, Math and Engineering) continues to dominate the education sphere.

Read more about the tool here. 

Article by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

3/17/2016