Objective and theoretical background. This study is situated within the field of learning problems in primary schools. According to Dumont (1994) two types of problems can be distinguished: a learning disability is situated in the child's own cognitive development whereas the cause of a learning difficulty is situated outside the child or in another problem in the child. Although the prevalence of reading problems on the one hand and mathematics learning problems on the other hand seems to be equal (Desoete, Roeyers, & De Clercq, 2004; Ruijssenaars, van Luit, & van Lieshout, 2006), the amount of research in both fields does not really reflect this finding. Far more research is conducted in the field of reading, while the field of mathematics remains underexposed. Therefore, this study tries to tackle this shortcoming and focuses on mathematics learning difficulties in primary school. More precisely, the study focuses on instructional and didactical processes as an exogenous cause of children's learning difficulties in mathematics.Aim of the study. First, the different components of mathematics education (e.g. fractions, word problems, making calculations, …) and teachers' perceptions of the related difficulties are analysed. Second, an overview of the different methods used in classrooms and the difficulties caused by these methods is build. Third, recommendations of teachers on how to handle mathematics learning difficulties successfully are gathered. Method. In order to present a state of the art about the mathematics difficulties and the instructional and didactical approaches applied to train primary school children with mathematics learning difficulties, a semi-structured questionnaire was developed. Taken into account that interventions should take place at an early stage (Dowker, 2004), we focused on primary education. Moreover, since schools and teachers receive more autonomy and teachers are seen as the most important actor in educational contexts, we specifically focused on mathematics teachers. More than 500 teachers from all grades (1-6) in primary education answered the questionnaire and all schools were located in Flanders, the Dutch speaking part in Belgium.Results and conclusion. Preliminary results reveal that in view of the first aim of the study, especially fractions, decimals, percentages, and measuring are the components of mathematics that are the hardest to handle in primary education. Results concerning the second aim point at specific difficulties in mathematics, due to the methods used. Finally, as to the third aim, a partial overlap is found between the recommendations of teachers on how to handle mathematics learning difficulties and findings reported in the literature (Kroesbergen & Van Luit, 2003). Furthermore, these results serve as a starting point to guide future research. Desoete, A., Roeyers, H. and De Clercq, A. (2004). Children with mathematics learning disabilities in Belgium. Journal of Learning Disabilities, 37, 32-41 Dowker, A. (2004). What works for children with mathematical difficulties? Research Report No 554. Nottingham: Department for Education and Skills. Dumont, J.J. (1994). Leerstoornissen. Deel 1: theorie en model [learning disabilities. Part 1: theory and model]. Rotterdam: Lemniscaat. Kroesbergen, E.H., & Van Luit, J.E.H. (2003). Mathematics interventions for children with special educational needs: a meta-analysis. Remedial & special education, 24, 97-114. Ruijssenaars, AJ.J.M., van Luit, J.E.H. (2006). Rekenproblemen en dyscalculie [Mathematical difficulties and dyscalculia]. Rotterdam: Lemniscaat.