The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia

Lenček, Mirjana; Jozipović, Marija; Ivanko, Magdalena

doi:10.31299/log.15.1.2

Logopedics, Vol. 15 No. 1, 2025.

Original scientific paper

https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia

Mirjana Lenček ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences
Marija Jozipović orcid.org/0000-0001-5193-8259 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Education and Rehabilitation Sciences *
Magdalena Ivanko ; Logopedski kabinet Logoped i ja (Dječja mozgalica)

* Corresponding author.

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cite

APA 6th Edition

Lenček, M., Jozipović, M. & Ivanko, M. (2025). The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia. Logopedija, 15 (1). https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

MLA 8th Edition

Lenček, Mirjana, et al. "The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia." Logopedija, vol. 15, no. 1, 2025 https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

Chicago 17th Edition

Lenček, Mirjana, Marija Jozipović and Magdalena Ivanko. "The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia." Logopedija 15, no. 1 https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

Harvard

Lenček, M., Jozipović, M., and Ivanko, M. (2025). 'The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia', Logopedija, 15(1). https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

Vancouver

Lenček M, Jozipović M, Ivanko M. The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia. Logopedija [Internet]. 2025 [cited 2026 July 23];15(1). https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

IEEE

M. Lenček, M. Jozipović and M. Ivanko, "The role of mathematical language in solvng tasks in students with dyscalculia", Logopedija, vol.15, no. 1, 2025. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.31299/log.15.1.2

Abstract

Mathematics has its own unique language, which is essentially a foreign language (Lenček, 2017). This key component of mathematics (Ferrari, 2004) is not grounded in the mother tongue, but in logic (Ilany & Margolin, 2010). Therefore, mathematical language can be a particular challenge for children, especially those with difficulties in mathematics. In the Croatian language and educational context, these issues have so far been insufficiently researched. The aim of this study is to analyze the characteristics of mathematical language in Croatian through examples of difficulties in acquiring and understanding mathematical tasks in students diagnosed with dyscalculia, while testing the mathematical language model proposed by Gaboor and Sarabi (2015). The data are considered in the context of theoretical frameworks on the development of mathematical knowledge as a language-mediated process. A qualitative analysis of the data revealed tasks that are highly demanding in terms of phonological, lexical-semantic, morphosyntactic and pragmatic features. The results point to the simultaneous complexity of mathematical language in different linguistic components, with the complexity of mathematical expressions being considerable already at the beginning of formal education, i.e. already in the first grade. Therefore, it is crucial to devote special attention and time to the teaching of mathematical language, especially for students with dyscalculia. As a result, an adaptation of the mathematical language model is proposed, considering the specificities of the Croatian language and script.