Numeracy in work – the model of quiet inclusion (Dyscalculia Day 2026)

The way we engage with numbers in work provides an excellent case study into small changes in workplace practices focused on efficiency that are essential for some and helpful for everyone. Many people have a complex relationship with maths – or more accurately, with maths in a school classroom. But most of us cannot avoid numbers in work, however hard we try. And, actually, most of us are much better at maths than we think we are.

In this session we may have to do some maths, just to illustrate some important points – mainly, that it is the expectation about our performance on mathematical tasks that causes anxiety, rather than what we actually need to do. There are workarounds, many of which have been invented by people that have dyscalculia, and they often work for everyone; from the way we communicate numbers, to providing efficient ways to complete common tasks, through asking the right questions about what numerical information we really need to have, solutions are often simple and effective. Unfortunately, we often don’t share these solutions because we don’t know the value they have for other people.

In this session, Pete will explore numerical cognition, our perceptions of maths, and things he has learnt from talking to people with lived experience of dyscalculia and other maths learning difficulties, to shine a light on how good communication and holistic solutions can be implemented that benefit everyone in the workplace.