Dyscalculia defined and strategies to help support it.
While it is October and the word dyscalculia does look and sound like a mix of Dracula and Transylvania, people with the condition are actually more scared of numbers than vampires. But seriously, dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that affects someone’s ability to do math.
It has been referred to as dyslexia with numbers, but that would not be accurate. A student struggling with dyscalculia may excel in reading or writing or history and not have any trouble with processing language. Their difficulties lie solely in working with numbers. The Child Mind Institute states that approximately 5% to 7% of students struggle with dyscalculia and it occurs equally in both boys and girls.
So what does it look like?
Younger children:
- have difficulty recognizing numbers
- have a delay in learning to count
- may have trouble recognizing patterns and placing things in order
- overly rely on fingers or objects when counting
School-age children:
- have significant trouble learning the basic facts in all four operations
- struggle with money and making change
- have difficulty telling time and reading clocks
- get frustrated by games that require keeping score or number strategies
Strategies to support students
In our immediate gratification and silver bullet seeking society, one often looks for quick fix remedies. Unlike ADHD where medication can have a profound and immediate effect on one’s performance, students struggling with dyscalculia will need a comprehensive set of strategies to help them succeed in their math classes and related homework.
What follows is a list of strategies that are research-backed and have proven to help students who struggle with dyscalculia.
1. Use graph paper to line up numbers and problems. Graph paper, perhaps surprisingly to some, comes in different sizes, so a younger student may benefit from paper with 1/2 inch squares.
2. Provide a list of formulas required to solve the problems. For example, if students are working on area and perimeter of rectangles and squares, write the correct formulas on the student’s paper.
3. Use manipulatives. The more hands-on a problem can be and the better a student can visualize the math going on, the better. Pattern blocks, base ten blocks and unifix cubes are all good examples.
4. Teach highlighting and circling of key words. In word problems it is critical for students to know what operation or combination of operations is being asked of them to solve the problem. Circling and highlighting helps a student focus on the most important parts of the question.
5. Teach math language. Directly teach that sum means addition, difference means subtraction, product means multiplication, and quotient means division. Also instruct what the phrases “in all,” “all together,” and “how many more than” mean in a math context.
6. Use a calculator. Allow the student to use a calculator, especially when computation is not being assessed.
7. Provide fact charts. Not only allow a student to use a fact chart but teach them how to use it. A multiplication fact chart can be used to find quotients!
8. Draw pictures. The more a child can visualize a problem, the better the chance they have of solving it. Pictures do not need to be works of art! Stick figures, circles and squares can represent just about anything.
9. List steps for multi-step problems. Not only should the steps be listed, but also provide sample problems already worked out that serve as models.
10. Review, review, review! Constantly review and connect new material to previously learned content.
Final thoughts
While dyscalculia affects approximately 5% to 7% of the student population, it is rare that it occurs as the only challenge. Many students who struggle with dyscalculia may also wrestle with focus and or language processing issues. That is why it is important to get comprehensive testing completed by a competent and trustworthy educational specialist to provide a thorough and accurate picture of a student’s strengths and weaknesses.
As we head into October with the first quarter of the school year coming to an end and ghosts and goblins galloping about the neighborhood, don’t let your child continue to be scared of numbers. If you feel like your child may have dyscalculia and would like to discuss it with a knowledgable professional, please contact Jennifer Disch at Engage the Brain.