Short report The DeDiMa battery: a tool for identifying students’ mathematical learning profiles

Background: The DeDiMa battery is designed for assessing students’ mathematical learning profiles, and it has been used to validate a 4-dimensional model for classifying mathematical learning difficulties. The model arises from existing hypotheses in the cognitive psychology and neuroscience literature, while the DeDiMa battery provides a reliable set of mathematical tasks that help to match characteristics of students’ mathematical performances to their more basic learning difficulties. Participants and procedure: In this report we address the question of how these tools can help sketch out a student’s mathematical learning profile. The participants are 5th and 6th grade students. Results: We compare the emerging profiles of two students with mathematical learning difficulties (MLD) matched for age, performance on a standardized test, non-verbal IQ, and educational experiences. The profiles are very different. Conclusions: We believe that this approach can inform the design of individualized remedial interventions for MLD students.