title: Why Learning Common Fractions Is Uncommonly Difficult: Unique Challenges Faced by Students With Mathematical Disabilities.
abstract: In this commentary, I examine some of the distinctive, foundational difficulties in learning fractions and other types of rational numbers encountered by students with a mathematical learning disability and how these differ from the struggles experienced by students classified as low achieving in math. I discuss evidence indicating that students with math disabilities exhibit a significant delay or deficit in the numerical transcoding of decimal fractions, and I further maintain that they may face unique challenges in developing the ability to effectively translate between different types of fractions and other rational number notational formats-what I call conceptual transcoding. I also argue that characterizing this level of comprehensive understanding of rational numbers as rational number sense is irrational, as it misrepresents this flexible and adaptive collection of skills as a biologically based percept rather than a convergence of higher-order competencies that require intensive, formal instruction.
authors.affiliation: 1 University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Berch
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D060705:Dyscalculia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D008433:Mathematics / Q000193:education*
keywords: fraction learning; mathematical disabilities; rational number sense