Dyscalculia
Dyscalculia is a specific learning disability that primarily impacts mathematical reasoning and number sense. People with dyscalculia may struggle with tasks such as understanding quantities, memorizing math facts, recognizing patterns, or performing basic calculations. It is neurologically based and not related to overall intelligence, which means someone with dyscalculia can be very capable in other areas.
October is Dyscalculia Awareness Month
October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month, which includes awareness of dyscalculia. Dyscalculia Awareness Day is observed on October 7th each year.
What is Dyscalculia?
Dyscalculia is a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand and work with numbers. It is sometimes referred to as “number dyslexia” because, like dyslexia for reading, dyscalculia makes it difficult to process mathematical information.
Educational Tips
Communication
- Talk or write out a problem.
- Drawing the problem.
- Break tasks down into subsets.
- Use “real-life” cues and physical objects.
- Review often.
Tasks and Assignments
- Visual aids: Provide tools, such as graph paper, manipulatives, or digital graphing tools, that help students visualize math concepts.
- Break down problems: Use graphic organizers or structured worksheets to help students break down problems into steps.
- Reduce working memory load: Provide reference charts, reading directions, and rubrics to limit the amount of information students need to transfer to paper.
- Allow calculators: Students can use calculators when computation is not the lesson’s focus.
- Use color: Use color to help students distinguish between numbers or categories.
- Use color: Use color to help students distinguish between numbers or categories.
- Use visual timers: Use visual timers and provide reminders of time limits.
- Provide worked examples: Access annotated worked examples for common math problems.
- Use video presentations: Provide access to video presentations explaining steps in common math problems for upper primary and high school students.
- Review opportunities: Incorporate review opportunities into class time through micro-lessons or review homework.
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