Arithmetic disabilities with and without reading difficulties: A comparison of arithmetic errors

Abstract

Arithmetic errors of 80 children with arithmetic disabilities, representing 3% of a population‐based sample, and of 80 sex‐ and age‐matched control children were systematically analyzed. In Analysis 1, covariance structure modeling (LISREL) was applied to analyze relations between reading, as measured by text reading accuracy and speed, and arithmetic error types. The results demonstrated that reading accuracy and speed were connected to errors in multiplication fact retrieval. In Analysis 2, a classification of children with arithmetic disabilities into subgroups by reading accuracy and speed difficulties revealed that children with dysfluent reading made more fact‐retrieval errors than did children in the control group or the children with arithmetic disabilities and normal reading speed. Results indicate that difficulties in arithmetic fact retrieval and difficulties in reading speed may share a common underlying factor.