A one-to-one interview is the best format for noting details. Practitioners should focus both on the process and the product. How does the adult attempt the math and what are the results? Are there consistent errors in certain areas of their math? Working as a team, practitioners and learners should look at what works and what doesn't.

An open dialogue with learners will help them to understand how they derived the answer and what areas they struggle with. Reword math problems orally to see if learners can answer them. Have learners complete a math problem and ask them to explain the steps they took. When looking at the process, practitioners need to determine if learners use strategies or rely on memory - do they finger count? Also look at learners' abilities to solve equations and their reasoning skills (how they access the answers).

Reading difficulties may occur due to problems with visual perception. Learners may have difficulty seeing the numbers and operations as distinct units. Therefore they may be unable to recognize numbers, words, or pictures and differentiate objects such as variables on a graph. Learners may also have difficulties perceiving or integrating relationships between the whole and parts of the object.⁴⁸

Math struggles to assess:

• Recognition and identification of numbers, and mathematical signs as expressed in words: (read aloud 10, 25, + = etc)
• Understanding of math vocabulary (i.e. for the sign +: can they supply at least, 'add', 'more' and 'plus')
• Understanding of the rules and procedures to solve a problem
• Comprehension of word problems and ability to do the mathematical calculations if taken out of the word problem format
• Memory for rules and procedures (multiplication tables, and order for procedure)
• Written and oral output of answers
• Calculation speed - no improvement shown even after review and practice
• Inconsistent mastery of mathematical skills (addition/subtraction, multiplication/division) due to problems with long-term memory