Although the book has grown out of teaching experience it is also informed by widely acknowledged contemporary and international research, which explores the cognitive aspects of learning mathematics and tries to understand why it is that some children fail to learn mathematics.

Many of the teaching principles described in the text have specific and quite far-reaching implications. The theoretical arguments should therefore also be of interest to special needs co-ordinators, heads of maths departments, head teachers or other professionals who are responsible for designing or modifying the maths learning programmes of children with special learning and maths difficulties. In more general terms, the book hopes to contribute to the broad discussion of the cognitive features and educational needs of dyslexic and dyspraxic children.