Dyscalculia

Dyscalculia is a specific learning difficulty affecting a person's ability to understand and/or manipulate numbers. Like dyslexia, dyscalculia can be caused by a visual perceptual deficit. Dyscalculia is often used to refer specifically to the inability to perform operations in maths or arithmetic, but is defined by some educational professionals as a more fundamental inability to conceptualise numbers themselves as an abstract concept of comparative quantities. It is a lesser known disability, much like Dyslexia and Dyspraxia. In fact, it is considered by some to be a variation of Dyslexia. Dyscalculia occurs in people across the whole IQ range, but means they often have specific problems with mathematics, time, measurement, etc. Dyscalculia (in its more general definition) is not rare. Many of those with dyslexia or dyspraxia have dyscalculia as well. There is also some evidence to suggest that this type of SpLD is partially hereditary.

Contents

1 Potential symptoms 2 Potential Causes 3 Dealing with students having dyscalculia 4 External links 5 References

Potential symptoms

• Frequent difficulties with numbers, confusing the signs: +, -, / and x, reversing or transposing numbers etc.
• Inability to say which of two numbers is the larger.
• Reliance on 'counting-on' strategies, often using fingers, rather than any more efficient mental arithmetic strategies.
• Difficulty with times-tables, mental arithmetic, measurements, etc.
• Good in subjects like science and geometry until a higher level requiring calculations is needed.
• Difficulty with conceptualising time and judging the passing of time.
• Difficulty with everyday tasks like checking change and reading analog clocks.
• Inability to comprehend financial planning or budgeting, sometimes even at a basic level, for example estimating the cost of the items in a shopping basket.
• Inability to grasp and remember maths concepts, rules, formulae, sequences.
• Difficulty keeping score during games.
• A literal phobia of math.

Potential Causes

Deficits in Working Memory - Adams & Hitch (1997), argue that working memory is a major factor in mental addition. From this base, Geary (1993) conducted a study that suggested there was a working memory deficit for those who suffered with dyscalculia. As compelling as the evidence may be, however, it may be the case that the working memory problems are merely confounded with general learning difficulties, thus it may not be the actual cause.

Dealing with students having dyscalculia

• Give them extra time for number problems.
• Make sure that the student has actually understood the problem.
• Try to determine whether the learning style of the student is primarily visual, auditory or kinaesthetic.
• Encourage students to "visualize" the quantities involved in mathematics problems.
• Be aware that students may use non-standard methods to solve problems. If their method is helpful, encourage it.
• Where appropriate have the student read problems out loud and listen very carefully.
• Provide lots of examples and try to relate problems to real-life situations.
• Provide uncluttered worksheets.
• Dyscalculic students will probably need to spend considerable extra time memorizing mathematics facts. Repetition is very important. Rhythm or music can help the process.
• Severely dyscalculic students, particularly if they are also dyslexic, may in fact have too poor a memory to memorise by rote at all. In this case, they should first concentrate on strengthening the basic number bonds and then use of calculation strategies.
• Don't scold or pity the student.
• Where appropriate, seek the advice of the SENCO or Ed. Psych.

External links

• Nature Article (http://www.nature.com/nsu/031110/031110-13.html)
• Guardian Article (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1039501,00.html)
• Mathematics and Dyslexia (http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/math_skills/ida_math_fall98.html)

http://www.ldonline.org/ld_indepth/math_skills/problem_solving_profiles.html http://www.freewebs.com/dyscalculia/facts.htm

Read 'Dyslexia, Dyspraxia and Mathematics' by Dorian Yeo, available at http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/186156323X/qid%3D1117494083/202-2485150-3819005

References

• Adams & Hitch (1997). Working memory and children's mental addition. Journal of Experimental Child Psychology, 67, 21-38.
• Geary (1993). Mathematical disabilities: cognition, neuropsychological and genetic components. Psychological Bulletin, 114, 345-362.de:Dyskalkulie

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