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数学が苦手なのはなぜ？算数障害の子は「解き方の切りかえ」に時間　68人の研究

Children With Math Disorder Find It Harder to Change Strategies

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1Children with a long-lasting math learning disorder were slower to switch between problem-solving strategies, a study from Stanford University has found. The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, involved 68 children aged 8 to 10. Some of them had developmental dyscalculia, a condition that makes solving math problems hard for a long time.

2Many math problems can be solved in more than one way. A child may count up one number at a time or use a number relationship that is already familiar. The second method is often more efficient. Knowing when to change strategies can become more important as problems get harder.

3Compared with children who were better at math, the children with dyscalculia took longer to switch strategies. They were also less sensitive to changes in how difficult the problems were. They used their different strategies less efficiently, too. Over time, they did not improve at picking the best strategy.

4The team also examined patterns of brain activity in the children. The children with dyscalculia and the children who were stronger at math showed different activity in one brain system. These patterns predicted how efficiently the children counted and changed strategies. However, the links do not prove that the brain differences directly cause dyscalculia.

5The researchers suggested that long-lasting trouble with controlling attention, thinking and memory may play a role. Such skills are often called executive functions. The lead author, Oliver Lasnick, said the study also showed how much dyscalculia varies from child to child.

6The findings suggest it is useful to look beyond whether a child's answer is correct and to study how the child chooses and adapts strategies.

Words　単語

disorderB2名障害、（心身の）不調a health problem that stops something from working well
strategiesA2名やり方、作戦（strategy の複数形）plans or ways to reach a goal
involvedB1動（人を）参加させた、ふくんだincluded someone or something as a part
efficientB1形効率的な、むだのないworking well without wasting time or energy
familiarA2形よく知っている、なじみのあるknown to you because you have seen it before
sensitiveB2形敏感な、すぐ反応するquick to notice or react to small changes
examinedB1動調べたlooked at something carefully
predictedA2動予測した、予想したsaid what would happen before it happened
proveB1動証明するto show that something is true
adaptsB1動（状況に合わせて）変える、適応させる（adapt に s がついた形）changes something to fit a new situation

単語のレベル：CEFR-J（『CEFR-J Wordlist Version 1.6』 東京外国語大学投野由紀夫研究室. （URL: https://www.cefr-j.org/download.html より 2026年8月ダウンロード））

1. Reading Quiz　本文の内容に合うものを選ぼう

  1. Where was the study published?

    A. In a school newspaperB. In the Journal of NeuroscienceC. In a math textbookD. On a video website

  2. Which method is often more efficient, according to the article?

    A. Counting up one number at a timeB. Guessing the answerC. Using a number relationship that is already familiarD. Skipping hard problems

  3. What happened to the children with dyscalculia over time?

    A. They became faster than the other children.B. They stopped counting.C. They solved every problem correctly.D. They did not improve at picking the best strategy.

  4. What did the brain activity patterns predict?

    A. How efficiently the children counted and changed strategiesB. How tall the children would growC. Which school the children went toD. How many hours the children slept

  5. What did Oliver Lasnick say the study showed?

    A. That dyscalculia is the same in every childB. That dyscalculia varies a lot from child to childC. That only adults have dyscalculiaD. That counting is never useful

2. True or False　正しければ T、違っていれば F

  1. (     ) Some of the 68 children had developmental dyscalculia.

  2. (     ) The children with dyscalculia switched strategies faster than the other children.

  3. (     ) The study proves that brain differences directly cause dyscalculia.

  4. (     ) Skills such as controlling attention and memory are often called executive functions.

3. Fill in the Blanks　下の語から選んで空らんをうめよう（形を変えずに）

strategiesefficientinvolvedsensitivefamiliardisorder

  1. Knowing when to change _____ can become more important as problems get harder.

  2. A child may count up one number at a time or use a number relationship that is already _____.

  3. The second method is often more _____.

  4. The study, published in the Journal of Neuroscience, _____ 68 children aged 8 to 10.

  5. They were also less _____ to changes in how difficult the problems were.

  6. Children with a long-lasting math learning _____ were slower to switch between problem-solving strategies, a study from Stanford University has found.

4. Word Order　語を並べかえて正しい文にしよう

  1. ( can / way / more / than / problems / solved / math / one / in / be / Many ) .

  2. ( second / method / is / The / often / efficient / more ) .

  3. ( often / functions / Such / executive / skills / are / called ) .

5. Think and Write　英語で答えてみよう

  1. Should math tests give points for the way students solve problems, not only for the final answer? Why or why not?（数学のテストでは、最後の答えだけでなく解き方にも点をあげるべきだと思いますか？理由も考えよう。）

  2. When you get stuck on a problem, how do you decide to try a different method?（問題でつまずいたとき、あなたはどうやって「別のやり方をためそう」と決めますか？）

Answers　解答

1. (1) B　(2) C　(3) D　(4) A　(5) B

2. (1) T　(2) F　(3) F　(4) T

3. (1) strategies　(2) familiar　(3) efficient　(4) involved　(5) sensitive　(6) disorder

4.

  1. Many math problems can be solved in more than one way.
  2. The second method is often more efficient.
  3. Such skills are often called executive functions.

全文訳

1算数・数学の学習障害が長く続く子どもは、問題の解き方（ストラテジー）を切りかえるのが遅かったことが、スタンフォード大学の研究でわかりました。学術誌「ジャーナル・オブ・ニューロサイエンス」に発表されたこの研究には、8〜10歳の子ども68人が参加しました。その一部には、算数の問題を解くことが長いあいだむずかしいままになる「発達性ディスカリキュリア（算数障害）」がありました。

2多くの算数の問題は、2通り以上のやり方で解くことができます。子どもは、数を1つずつ数え上げることもあれば、すでによく知っている数の関係を使うこともあります。2つ目のやり方のほうが、たいていは効率的です。問題がむずかしくなるほど、いつ解き方を変えるべきかを見きわめることが大切になってきます。

3数学がよくできる子とくらべて、算数障害のある子は解き方を切りかえるのに時間がかかりました。また、問題のむずかしさが変わっても、それにあまり気づきませんでした。いろいろな解き方を使うときの効率も低めでした。時間がたっても、いちばんよい解き方を選ぶ力は上がりませんでした。

4研究チームは、子どもたちの脳の活動のパターンも調べました。算数障害のある子と、算数がもっと得意な子とでは、脳のあるしくみの活動がちがっていました。このパターンから、子どもがどれだけうまく数えたり解き方を変えたりできるかが予測できました。ただし、こうした関係があるからといって、脳のちがいが算数障害を直接引き起こしているとまでは言えません。

5研究者たちは、注意や考え、記憶をうまくコントロールすることが長いあいだ苦手なことが、関係しているかもしれないと述べています。こうした力は、よく「実行機能」と呼ばれます。研究の中心となったオリバー・ラスニックさんは、算数障害の現れ方が子どもによって大きくちがうことも、この研究で示されたと述べました。

6研究の結果からは、子どもの答えが正しいかどうかだけでなく、どのように解き方を選び、変えていくかを見ることが役に立つと考えられます。

文法ポイント：関係代名詞 that（主格）

that ＋ 動詞 で、前の名詞を説明する。本文の a condition that makes solving math problems hard for a long time は「算数の問題を解くことを長いあいだむずかしくする状態」。that のあとの makes が、condition を主語にした動詞。

出典：ScienceDaily（Society for Neuroscience 提供）、EurekAlert!（Society for Neuroscience）、Neuroscience News ほか（記事は原田英語の時事英語ジュニアのオリジナル）｜https://www.haradaeigo.com/jijieigo-junior/news/2026-11-14-math-strategy-switching-brain/