Last Updated on October 4, 2023 by Editorial Team
REVIEWED BY NUMBERDYSLEXIA’S EXPERT PANEL ON MARCH 08, 2022
As young learners, all that one needs is the retention of facts learned. At inception, It may be fair to recite “A bat and a ball” instead of “A ball and a bat.” Nonetheless, such swappings may not be acceptable in the case of numbers, letters, and symbols. While we call this transposition, the occurrence of these errata in individuals may be debatable.
Further, the link between learning compromises and transposing errors was formerly little known. That being the case, Does Dyslexics show up in Transposing numbers and letters? What factors lead to such slip-ups? Here, we explore relevant insights to ensure you are out of fallacies.
Dyslexia and numbers- How are they related?
Dyslexia, as we all comprehend, is often linked to reading, writing, and learning attributes. Nonetheless, their links with numbers are also evident. Cesare Cornoldi[1] studied the number performance of 30 young adults with Dyslexia.
The results showed that dyslexia is not only about reading and writing compromises in alphabetical material but also in numbers and operations too. These inferences can assist us in discerning the extent of their connection with number inaccuracies.
Transposition- Comprehending the familiar oversight!
Transposition, by definition, implies the exchange of entities with respect to their places. The term is often referred to in the context of letters, sounds, and numbers. Some learners, while they retain information, may put them down correctly, but in other sequences. For instance, a student seeing ‘9876’ on the board may note it down as ‘9786’. The same can be the case for alphabets, letters, and symbols as well.
Transposition errors- Do dyslexics show up in these slip-ups?
Swapped errors with respect to symbols and letters are observed in some people. While phonological and language deficits were previously noticed, transposition reading errors were also recently observed. Nathan L. Collis[2] studied the nature of visual-spatial attention deficits in dyslexic adults. The results of the research depicted that dyslexic’s deficits with letter string stimuli were limited to positional errors. Further, these errors were mostly correlated to letter transposition reading errors. Accordingly, it is depicted that the deficit in processing a string of letters can be taxing due to a compromise in positional coding.
Further, B.S. Jaarsma[3] in his research observed that people with dyslexia might have third transposition errors, which accompany other minor glitches to make them take longer time to learn music. These researches outline that transposition errors may be evident in Dyslexics. Nonetheless, these errors can be rectified on a long horizon.
Transposition number errors- Dyslexics may encounter misprints.
As depicted above, various types of research outlined the probable transposition of words and syllables in Dyslexics, but very little is known about the number of transpositions in these individuals. Logically, individuals having transposition bothers may reflect the same in numbers. Nevertheless, this statement may not be proved without relevant proof.
A prominent ground behind this is that those individuals with learning as well as number compromises are often considered Dyscalculic. R Cohn, in his book, described that dyscalculics might transpose numbers during arithmetic operations. These may account for magnified complexity in numerical later.
Further, Lien Peters[4] compared the brain activity and neural structure of 62 children, some being Dyslexic and others Dyscalculic. The results showed that the brain activity and profiles of all the children were similar, especially in numbers and mathematics. This research shows chances of number errors in Dyslexics are the same as in Dyscalculics, supporting the chances of Transposition errors.
Transposition errors in dyslexics- Evaluating probable causes
Being aware that some individuals may face transposition errors in their learning and workplaces, it could be a wise decision to traverse through probable reasons. These can lead to possible rectifying strategies.
1. Irregular Short-term Memory
To retain information in daily routine, Short-term memory may often be preeminent. Compromise in the same may occur due to multiple factors. Among these, A.F.Healy[5] focuses on The Distractor Paradigm. According to this phenomenon, the length of the external distracting task may be proportional to the rate of forgetting information from short-term memory. Further, there were two issues that were found due to this paradigm, and one of these was Transposition errors.
Even without distraction tasks, a compromise in short-term memory can also lead to transposition errors. Martinez Perez Trecy[6] outlines that short-term memory can be an area to boost Dyslexics, especially in reading acquisition. These inferences may lead us to relate why Dyslexics can have a chance of transposition errors.
2. Sensory Perception and Integration
The Left and right sides of the brain have varying functions. Accordingly, the Right parietal lobe is responsible for sensory perceptions and integration. For this reason, Vanessa Costa[7] concludes that visuospatial processes served by the right inferior parietal area can make a person competent in establishing appropriate order in a word.
Heinz Wimmer[8] outlines the Hari and Renval inferences, which say Dyslexics can face sluggish attentional deployment due to right parietal lobe dyscognition. Supporting results were observed in which readers with right-parietal lobe deficits showed lower amplitudes in pseudowords. These lines show how Dyslexics may have translation or ordering errors.
Strategies for transposition errors: Here is how you may transpire out!
Acknowledging the brain working and grounds for transposition errors, some suggestions have been put forward in the belief of managing these compromises. Traverse through these simple tips and check out if any of these can aid in better retention of data.
1. Split the Number/word while reading
Errors like Transposition may often arise when the individual tries to retain the whole set of numbers at a stretch; the same can be mitigated when the set is broken down into pairs. The same was seen in a trial by Naama Friedman[9]. The team tested the effect of splitting words by adding a sign within it and found positive results.
2. Name the number while reading
Further, Naama Freidman also leads another hint that may assist with transposition. Before the individual can read the whole number or a word, they are asked to name and call out each of them; this also mitigates the chances of transposition.
3. Try English Spelling to learn numbers
Learners may be confused between 41 and 14. If they look into the English spelling of these numbers, the distinction may be evident. Here, Forty + One and Four + Teen make a proper way to differentiate them. Implementing this English-based comprehension of numbers may aid in reducing transposition errors in numbers.
4. Employing tracking software
Even for professionals, transposition errors may occasionally arise. For this reason, tracking software can be employed to keep a check on the figures that are updated regularly. Further, some apps also do multiple tasks effortlessly. For instance, bookkeeping.
Concluding thoughts
To infer, there is sparsely any corroboration that shows a direct connection between Dyslexia and Transposing number trait. Nevertheless, referring to multiple pieces of research and comprehending the inferences from multiple dimensions, a noteworthy link may be perceived.
Even without such knowledge, any individual with slip-ups like transposition may need to look into a plan of action to develop their language and math. For this reason, mull over the above-mentioned strategies to see if any of them can be your way out.
References:
- Difficulties of Young Adults With Dyslexia in Reading and Writing Numbers. (2021, August). https://doi.org/10.1177/00222194211037061
- The role of visual spatial attention in adult developmental dyslexia. (2013, February). Nathan L. Collis. https://doi.org/10.1080/17470218.2012.705305
- Dyslexia and learning musical notation: A pilot study. (1998). B. S. Jaarsma.
- Dyscalculia and dyslexia: Different behavioral, yet similar brain activity profiles during arithmetic. (2018). Lien Peters. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nicl.2018.03.003
- Short-term Memory, Cognitive Psychology of. (2001). A.F.Healy. https://doi.org/10.1016/B0-08-043076-7/01524-
- Impaired short-term memory for order in adults with dyslexia. (2013, July). Martinez PerezTrecy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.04.005
- Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over the Right Inferior Parietal Cortex Reduces Transposition Errors in a Syllabic Reordering Task. (2021). Vanessa Costa.
- Children with dyslexia and right parietal lobe dysfunction: event-related potentials in response to words and pseudowords. (2002, October). Heinz Wimmer. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0304-3940(02)00883-2
- What can reduce letter migrations in letter position dyslexia? (2001). Naama Friedmann.
An engineer, Maths expert, Online Tutor and animal rights activist. In more than 5+ years of my online teaching experience, I closely worked with many students struggling with dyscalculia and dyslexia. With the years passing, I learned that not much effort being put into the awareness of this learning disorder. Students with dyscalculia often misunderstood for having just a simple math fear. This is still an underresearched and understudied subject. I am also the founder of Smartynote -‘The notepad app for dyslexia’,