In a typical classroom, you’ll find children who are exceptionally good at math while some struggle. Some kids seem to be particularly poor at math, though, showing difficulty even when routinely adding or subtracting even after extensive schooling.

　　在典型的课堂上，你会找到一些数学非常好的孩子，而另外一些孩子却在与数学苦苦争斗。某些孩子们似乎特别不擅长数学，即便在学校学过，但某些孩子甚至就连加减法都有问题。

　　A pair of researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center and Stanford University made an extensive review of the current literature and found evidence of a form of ‘math disability’, which is related to dyslexia. Their theory suggests math disability is linked to abnormalities in brain areas supporting procedural memory.

　　乔治城大学医疗中心和斯坦福大学的两名研究人员回顾了当代文献，发现一种与阅读障碍有关的“数学废”(math disability)。他们的理论认为，数学废与大脑中负责产生记忆的部位异常有关。

　　Ullman and Tanya M. Evans, who is now a post-doc fellow at Stanford, have come up instead with what they call the “procedural deficit hypothesis.” Their idea is based on current literature that says learning a skill involves both procedural and declarative memory.

　　Ullman和斯坦福大学的博士后Tanya M.Evans共同提出了“程序记忆不足假说”。他们这一基于当代文献的观点认为学习某种技能与程序记忆和陈述性记忆有关。

　　“We believe that learning math is likely similar to learning other skills,” Evans says. “For example, declarative memory may first be used to consciously learn how to [en]drive, but then with practice driving gradually becomes automatized in procedural memory. However, for some children with math disability, procedural memory may not be working well, so math skills are not automatized.”

　　Evans说道：“我们认为学习数学有可能与学习其它技能差不多。比如，我们可能要先利用陈述性记忆来有意识地学习如何开车，接着在程序记忆中慢慢练习开车，最后开车变成自动行为。然而，对于数学废儿童而言，他们的程序记忆运转也许并不顺利，因此他们的数学技能并未达到自动化。”

　　Math, reading or learning a new language depend on both of these learning systems and evidence so far seems to indicate that when procedural memory is impaired, a child may face math disability, dyslexia or developmental language disorder. Declarative memory often compensates but only to an extent.

　　数学、阅读和学习新语言都取决于这两种学习系统，到目前为止科学家们收集到的证据似乎认为当程序记忆受损的时候，孩子就会面临数学废、阅读障碍或者发育性语言障碍。有时候陈述性记忆也会弥补程序记忆，但弥补程度有限。

（编辑：何莹莹）