Error analysis of students with mathematics learning difficulties in Tibet

A notably high percentage (33%) of students with mathematics learning difficulties (MLD) has been reported in Tibet, which can partly be explained by the current state of mathematics teaching. Less known is what kind of errors these students are making in different types of mathematical tasks. This study investigated the types and frequency of errors made in mathematics tasks by Tibetan seventh-grade students ( n = 30) with MLD, as well as whether gender and school type had any effects on these errors. The novel Mathematics Error Pattern Identification Test (MEPIT) was used to identify the following eight different error types: visual-spatial, comprehension, transformation, relevance, fact, procedural, measurement, and presentation. Students identified as having MLD completed the MEPIT in two sessions due to its length (64 items). Regression analysis and t-tests were used. The most frequent error types were fact and comprehension errors. Compared to the boys in the study, the girls seemed to be more vulnerable to fact and relevance errors. The students in the rural school made more comprehension errors compared to the students in the urban school. Our exploratory study calls for further research on assessing errors that students with MLD make in mathematical tasks. MEPIT was shown to be a promising assessment tool for Tibetan teachers to identify errors that students with MLD may make in mathematics tasks.