När siffrorna inte går att stävja
En kvalitativ studie om pedagogers föreställningar om elevers matematiksvårigheter
An increasing number of students leave the Swedish compulsory school without having a satisfactory grade in mathematics. Causes why students risk ending up with difficulties in the subject of mathematics are debated but one explanation might be that more and more students are diagnosed with dyscalculia. The purpose of this study is to investigate how educationalists identify and organize their teaching in order to help students with difficulties in mathematics to reach the schools requirement and long-term goals that are defined in advance. It is vital to detect learning difficulties at an early stage. Accordingly, it can be avoided that the student starts to develop a negative self-image due to repeated failures and in the same time provide relevant help. Educationalists working actively with teaching possess valuable knowledge that is presently well managed. However, there are many indications that the schools steadily reducing amount of resources will limit their efforts. My contribution is an attempt to elucidate this complex of problems that are part of the daily rounds of an educationalist and that have been debated profoundly during the last years. The studie is based in qualitative iterviews with teachers in compulsory shool and one special educationalist and the interwiews are, after compilation, compared with earlier research of difficulties in mathematics.